Edge of Thorns
by scarlett2112
Summary: Damon thought the worst thing he'd ever have to endure was Elena's sudden disappearance. Little did he realize that her kidnapping was only the opening salvo in the nightmare that was to follow.
1. Chapter 1

_**Since "Phoenix Rising" and "I Can't Escape Myself" are winding down, I wanted to give you the first chapter of this. I will warn you that it gets very dark at times and probably a bit uncomfortable. It's loosely based on "21 Jump Street" the Johnny Depp TV show, not the movies. I'm trying to portray this as real life. This is outside of my comfort zone. I really hope you will all learn to care about this Damon and Elena too.**_

* * *

Feeling her brain pounding against her temples like a jackhammer, Elena struggles to get her bearings. Waking up in a cold and dirty room, she raises up on her elbow. The last thing she remembers is leaving the courtroom to use the ladies room. Even with her vision blurry she can see that she's in some kind of a smelly and dank space. She can feel the chill deep inside of her bones but with no blanket, all she can do is curl up in a ball. There's not even a window in this dungeon for her to get any semblance of a location. How is Damon ever going to find her in a place like this? And where is this? she wonders, feeling her eyes begin to well up with tears. Sitting on the mattress with her legs pulled up and her arms wrapped around them, Elena drops her forehead to her knees. Rocking back and forth, she attempts to get warm but has little success. Closing her eyes, she wracks her mind to try to remember just how she ended up here. With fatigue setting in again, despite the chill, she closes her eyes, letting the darkness consume her.

 _"Brady, go around that way," Damon says, pointing to the north side of the building. Nodding, he draws his gun and then disappears on the corner. Damon takes the safely off of his own weapon and carefully rounds the south side of the building towards the school's football field. Their squad was asked to come to the school when several girls were raped after being drugged, one dying as a result. Having blended in with the students, it didn't take Damon and Brady very long to place Tyler Lockwood at the center of it. He sells roofies like candy making himself a pretty profit._

 _With Bonnie coming up from the east entrance, they all get into position, taking hiding places behind the stadium's pillars. They watch as Tyler Lockwood drags Elena out of his car and onto the empty field. Damon can see by the her posture and awkward body mechanics that he somehow was able to drug her or else she's doing an excellent job of acting. They watch for the precise moment with which to mount their attack. When Tyler shoves Elena to the ground, it takes everything in him not to launch himself at the bastard. It's when he pulls Elena's jeans down and drops his own that Damon gives the signal._

 _Although they try to move stealthily, Brady trips alerting Tyler to their presence. Not wanting to go to jail, he pulls up his jeans and makes a run for it. Having no time to get to his car, he runs off into the woods surrounding the stadium. When they reach the highway, he hurries across whereas Damon and Brady have to dodge oncoming traffic before finally reaching the other side. Just as Tyler is about to dart into a waiting car, Damon jumps him from behind, halting him in his tracks. With Brady for back up, the car spins its tires, disappearing in a cloud of dust._

 _Pulling Tyler to his feet, Damon reads him rights as he slams the cuffs on him. Moments later a uniformed unit shows up to transport their prisoner to jail. Once they get back to their department, they have a debriefing with their boss, police Capt. Atticus Shane._

Having no idea how long she's been here, she rubs her arms to try to warm them up. As the day wears on, she becomes irritable and frightened when she happens to notice a couple of spiders crawling up the wall. Swallowing thickly, just the sight of them makes her feel like her skin is crawling. Just this morning, at least she thinks it was this morning, she was sitting in the courtroom with Damon and Captain Shane. After many long months and delay after delay, they were finally going to be able to give their testimony in the Lockwood case, her dream encompassing what Damon told her about catching Tyler before he was about to rape her too. She played her part, letting Tyler slip her the drug. Damon has told her many times that he wasn't sure whether it was real or her playing the part. Having taken drama in high school, she lured Tyler in and set him up for the sting. Now she finds herself here but where's here she thinks to herself. When she hears a creaking sound, reminding her of rusty metal grinding against something, she startles awake. Looking up, she's so stunned to see him that her mouth literally drops open.

"You're awake, Officer Gilbert. How nice," he says, his voice eerily calm and yet sinister in its inflection. Approaching her, he takes the kerchief out of his pocket and wipes off the chair before sitting down.

"What do you want with me?"

"Officer Gilbert, you took my son away from me so I'm taking you away from your lover."

"Your son is a criminal who ruined more than one life. I was doing my job."

"Well, I'm doing mine," he retorts, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I don't understand."

"You've taken my son away from me for twenty years. But don't worry, I promise you that you'll see Officer Salvatore again," he adds cryptically. When he puts his fingers to his mouth, whistling aloud, two men and a woman join them in her cell.

"What are you doing?" Elena screams, kicking and fighting as two of the men pin her down. The third person, a woman, walks in brandishing a syringe. Swallowing thickly, Elena's heart starts pounding so hard against her chest wall that it hurts and her lungs seize as she struggles to pull air into them. The men have her pinned down so tightly that she can't move. Her eyes widen when the woman ties the tourniquet around her upper arm. The harder she fights, the tighter they hold onto her, even drawing blood where their fingernails are digging in. When she feels the prick of the needle against her skin, followed by a warm flush as a surge of intense euphoria and pleasure overwhelms her, she sighs, her muscles relaxing immediately. The rush lasts only minutes, the high lingering much longer. Suddenly intensely drowsy, the men throw her on a heap on the dirty mattress, leaving her unconscious and alone, her body already craving more.

* * *

 _Huge thanks to Eva for coming along for the ride, encouraging me when I came up with this idea. Without her brilliant plot points, I couldn't have written it though. She's truly invaluable to me._

 _My friend, Salvatoreboys4ever, has a post 8x16 story. "Our New Beginning". Although Delena are her favorite, she's also including other couples and their futures going forward. I'm sure she'd love for some of you to take a look if you're interested._

 _I will update TTBTR and ICEM before the week is over. PR updated yesterday._

 _Please remember to review._

 _Be safe and have a phenomenal day._


	2. Wings of Despair

When Tyler Lockwood is brought into the courtroom, Damon knows the Judge will arrive soon as well. Glancing at the doors, he begins to feel a little edgy that Elena hasn't returned from the bathroom yet. Sensing his concern, Captain Shane turns to Damon, "What's the matter?"

"It's Elena, she's not back yet," Damon whispers, looking over his shoulders at the doorway once more. He can't help but be worried about her. Elena was very good about getting Tyler to trust her. She pretended to be his girlfriend, even to the point of going out with him several times. She mentioned to Damon that she had to fight him off many times when he wanted sex. Somehow she would manage to dissuade him without revealing her cover. Unfortunately though he found out because on the day they arrested him. He had been under the impression that he had successfully roofied her. Elena was playing her part, not even jumping to her feet until Tyler took off when he tried to make his getaway. Feeling a nudge, he looks around again. With still no sign of her, Damon can feel his stomach churning enough to taste bile at the back of his throat.

"Her testimony is very important. She's scheduled to be the first called this morning by the DA. Get her back here," Captain Shane says, his voice low in volume but adamant. Nodding, Damon gets up, excuses himself to get out of the aisle then hurries out of the courtroom to try to find her. Walking down the hallway at a brisk pace, he heads for the ladies room. Knocking on the door, he waits for several seconds but when he doesn't hear anything, he pushes through. Finding it empty, he wonders if maybe she went to the bathroom at the other end of the floor. With the fear inside of him building exponentially, he runs down the hall to the other restroom. Again he takes the time to rap on the door but instead of waiting for a reply, he pushes it open, apologizing when a lady glares at him.

"Elena?" he asks anxiously. When no one answers, he stoops down but sees no feet which only amplifies his fears all the more. He now knows that something is very, very wrong. Pushing open each stall door, he sees nothing. Stepping out of the bathroom, he's just about to run back to the courtroom when he sees a glimmer of something out of the corner of his eyes. Walking over to it, he bends over to pick it up. His heart sinks when he sees it's the _'David Yurman'_ Infinity necklace that he gifted her with for her birthday a few months ago. Because he knows that she never would have taken it off, he clutches it in his hand and runs to the courthouse security office to order them to secure that restroom, summon forensics and more police while he runs back to the courtroom to tell Captain Shane that she's missing.

* * *

Catching himself on the door, he makes a sharp turn into the room and barrels towards Captain Shane. Everyone is staring at him as he motions for Shane to follow him out of the room. After eyeing the DA, Atticus leaves the room to see what Damon wants.

"What's the hell, Damon?"

"She's gone. Someone took her."

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"She's not in either of the bathrooms. I found this one on the floor outside of the west one," Damon adds, dropping the necklace with the broken chain into the other man's hand. By the time he and Shane reach the bathroom, a forensic team is already on site dusting the place for fingerprints.

"Are you sure that it's her necklace?"

"I'm positive."

"How do you know? This is a designer piece. They're mass produced."

"Because I had this DE engraved on the back," he adds, pointing to the tiny initials that are all but invisible unless they're pointed out. Handing it to Matt, one of the forensic technicians, he points out where he picked it up. Seeing the nearest doorway, Shane and Damon walks outside to see if they can find any other bits of evidence. Seeing some people congregated on the stairs, Damon trots down the steps towards them. Pulling up a picture of her on his phone, he asks if any of them have seen her. Not surprisingly, no one saw a thing. Frustrated and worried, he rejoins Captain Shane. Watching them dust for finger prints and look for hair and clothing fibers, Damon knows that it really won't matter. It's a public restroom, there's probably a thousand sets of fingerprints in there. Raking his hand through his hair in frustration, he turns to face the outside, his heart beating wildly inside of his chest as abject terror begins to replace hope.

* * *

Sitting at his desk, Damon threads his fingers through his hair. It's been a month since she disappeared. Because she couldn't testify at Tyler Lockwood's trial, his lawyer motioned for a mistrial, claiming that he was a victim of police corruption and that Elena was going to perjure herself to put his client behind bars. What gripes Damon the most is that he is absolutely certain that the Lockwood's are behind Elena's disappearance but the police have come up with absolutely nothing to tie any of them or anyone else for that matter to her disappearance. Hearing footsteps approaching, Damon looks up as Captain Shane steps over to his cubicle.

"You are going to join Bonnie and Brady at Hamilton High School Monday morning. There have been many reports of thefts as well as breaking and entering incidents."

"But I can't. Elena is still missing," Damon protests, his jaw tightening.

"You think I don't know that, Damon? I'm getting pressured from the commissioner. As much as it pains me, you and I both know that the odds of her being found alive are slim at best. That being said, I know that you're not going to give up no matter what I or anyone else says. Do whatever you need to do just be careful."

"She's not dead do you hear me?" Damon retorts, having heard very little else of what Shane said. Grabbing his jacket, Damon skates around him and leaves the building. Since it's early evening anyway, he goes straight home. After stripping out of his clothes, he hops into the shower and rinses off the dirt and grime from the day's work. Since it's a Friday night, he orders some pizza. After paying the delivery man, he pulls a can of beer out of his fridge, takes his pizza and collapses into his recliner, staring at her picture on top of the TV as he eats.

Waking up the next morning, he lies in bed. He can't help but wonder where she is now and if she's missing him as much as he's missing her. He knows she didn't leave of her own free well. Staring at the ceiling, he says aloud as if hoping that by some miracle she can hear him. "I'll never give up, Elena." Too emotionally drained, he shifts onto his side, remembering how it felt to have her snuggled into his arms after a long night of lovemaking. Despite it all, he knows that she won't give up either. She's stubborn, brave and professional to a fault but she's also emotionally fragile and the most kind person he's ever had the pleasure of knowing. Sometimes he's thought about quitting the force so they can be together but really, he wouldn't have to, he'd only have to work in another department, maybe homicide he thinks.

Even though she's never openly admitted to being involved with him, the passion was too much for either of them to deny. They would try to abstain, the longest time being a couple of weeks but it was just too painful to be apart from her. It was petty compared to the pain he feels now not knowing where she is. Somehow he thinks he'd know if she was dead, he'd feel it. He has no doubt about that whatsoever. Unless and until they can find a body or other irrefutable proof that she's dead, he's never going to stop looking for her. When he glances up at the clock again, he sees it's nearly eleven am. Sitting upright, he scrubs his hands over his face to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. Before standing up to get dressed, he picks up the picture he keeps on his bedside stand and holds it against his chest, promising her over and over again that he will never give up.

* * *

Waking up to the sun shining in her eyes, Elena rolls over, she awakes with shooting cramps in her belly. Her hair is limp and hanging in her face. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she tries to sit up. Although weak as a kitten, she somehow manages to get herself upright. As days blend into nights, she has no concept of time, not anymore. Every muscle in her body aches as she struggles to get to her feet. The only positive thing is that she's not being kept in the dirty bug infested cell anymore. She's still being held prisoner behind locked doors and barred windows.

"Fuck you, Damon," she yells with a raspy voice, it being too weak to properly yell the words. "Where the hell are you?'" she cries, sinking back onto her bed. Feeling her body begin to revolt and in need of more, she curls up, falling into a restless sleep.

 _Hand in hand, they walk towards the waterfall at one of their nearby state parks. Since it's the weekend, they don't have to revert to their high school selves again till Monday morning. When they reach it, they can hardly believe their luck. Finding no one around, Elena leads him to a little secluded spot on the other side. Although the thought of being caught ripens her libido even more, she's certain Damon would prefer their lovemaking to be private. Elena wastes no time in ripping her tee shirt over head. Surprising him, she takes the hem of his and with his help, she pulls it off too. With a twinkle in her eyes, she reaches behind and unclasps her bra, letting the straps slide down when she slumps her shoulders. His eyes always widen whenever he gets to gaze upon her perfectly shaped breasts. She loves how it feels when he takes them in his hands and uses his thumbs to stroke her pink and dusky nipples. Empowered by the look on his face, she unbuttons his shorts and pulls them down his legs._

 _"You're so gorgeous," he says aloud as if wanting the whole world to know that she's his._

 _With a smirk on her face, she pulls him against her. Damon then captures her lips in a mind altering kiss. Laying her down, he spreads her legs, situating his face right at her core. Using his thumbs, he probes her nether lips. With a waggle of his brows, he drops his mouth, blowing hot puffs of air against her clit causing her skin to shiver and prickle._

 _"So good," she moans, her hips raising to meet his mouth. Using his teeth to nip, his tongue to curl and scrape along her heated flesh and his fingers to plunge in and out, she is moaning a symphony of nonsense in no time at all. When she wafts back down to earth, she looks at him through bleary eyes. Smiling at her like the Cheshire cat, he then drags his tongue across his lips salaciously._

 _"You taste so, so good," he mumbles, his eyes dropping back to her center. Before she has a chance to recover fully, she feels him push his middle finger inside again, curling it just enough to scrape the spongy tissue that promises Nirvana._

 _"Damon, please," she murmurs, pressing herself intimately against him. Smiling against her swollen flesh, he blows wisps of breath against her clit before taking it between his teeth. She's never felt anything so intensely pleasurable before in her life. Her back arches up when he wraps his lips around it. He sucks vigorously and laves it with his tongue till Elena feels her body erupt all over again in a haze of bright lights and an array of colors, "Damon" leaving her lips as if in rapture. As soon as she regains her senses, she somehow finds the wherewithal to spread her legs wider still, inviting him in. Barely coherent, she smiles deliriously when he takes her mouth, letting her taste herself as he plies them with a torrid kiss._

 _"I want you inside of me... NOW." She demands, running her fingers through his sweat dampened hair._

 _Mesmerized, she watches as he takes himself in hand and starts to rub the head up and down her slit paying special attention to her clit and teasing her entrance. Desperately wanting him to fill her, she bucks her hips up, urging him to push it forward._

 _"Okay, baby," he says softly then pushes himself inside slowly, joining them as one._

 _"Oh dear God," she moans, feeling every glorious inch as Damon presses forward, stretching her deliciously. She can hardly see straight when she realizes how deep he is. Nearly delirious with pleasure, Elena still can't take her eyes from him. After pulling another heady kiss from her mouth, Damon picks up the pace, pressing deeper, harder and faster. She raises her hips to meet his forward strokes. Running her hands over the sinuous musculature of his incredibly sculpted chest and firm back, she clings to him as he continues his punishing but altogether divine pace. Loving the feeling of being connected so intimately with him, she moans aloud. Lowering her hands, she digs her nails into the curve of his ass pulling him in impossibly deeper._

" _You feel so damn perfect," Damon pants, sweat beading on his forehead. She can see how hard he's working not only for her pleasure but for his own too. Without missing a stroke, he flips them, letting her pick up the pace. Damon uses his hands to find purchase on her hips, helping her to slide along the long hard length of him over and over again. Her pleasure increasing exponentially each time her clit rubs against his pubic bone. Elena throws her head back which pushes her breasts forward. Damon wraps his lips around one nipple, suckling, nipping and teasing the tip with his tongue before he lets go with a plopping sound. Much to her delight, he then drops his mouth to the other one._

 _"Christ," she groans breathlessly. Damon takes her hand in his and together they vigorously massage her clit. In the next second, she screams, rocketing into the most intense orgasm of her life. White blinding light flashes in her mind. Her body convulses as chill bumps begin to dot her skin. She's till shuddering uncontrollably when she feels Damon slam into her one more time. It's then that she feels his own body surrender to the rapture with a keening cry of her name escaping from his mouth_. _Collapsing onto his chest, she listens to his heart as it thrums chaotically against her ear. A lazy smile forms on her lips knowing that she did this to him. The last thing she remembers is him wrapping his arms around her and his lips pressing against the base of her neck._

Suddenly she feels her body being jarred awake. Although her eyelids feel like iron, she somehow manages to open them. Even though her body needs it more than food or even water, she still screams when the tattooed man pins her down again. As weak as a kitten, she still kicks and screams and tries to free herself. Although it's a futile effort, it makes her feel a little better about herself. But in the end she stops struggling and lets the woman strap the tourniquet around her arm. She puts up no resistance when the man straightens it forcefully. Grimacing slightly when the needle pierces her skin, she lets out a euphoric pant, her mouth in an o shape as the drug begins to take hold and fill her body with unrivaled pleasure.

* * *

Leaning over his superior's desk, palms flat but pressing so hard that his nailbeds are white, an impatient Damon snaps, "Goddamn it, Chief, you have to let me interview Tyler again."

"It's done, Damon. It's been weeks, you, hell we all do, have to accept the fact that she's likely been murdered. I don't want to close this case anymore than you do but unless by some miracle, she turns up, there's nothing you or any of us can do about it," Shane retorts, his voice calm but deadly serious.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to say she's dead?"

"If you want to keep your job and maintain access to Elena's case, you need to stop. Do you understand?" Shane says firmly, shifting his eyes towards the door. Finally understanding that if he loses his job, he loses any and all possibilities of actually finding her, Damon acquiesces. As much as it pains him to admit, he knows he can't find her alone. He needs access to the tools that the department has, like intel and wire taps and that type of thing. Throwing his arms in the air, he stalks out of his office and out of the building. Jumping into his Camaro, he heads over to the school to attend class, hoping that the new case will distract him for a few hours.

* * *

Waking up in a world of hurt, Elena again feels the intense cramps, the nausea and the pounding headache as she struggles to become coherent again. As much as she hates what she's become, she can't think about anything else but the next injection. Staggering over to the door, she starts to pound on it, begging for another hit. Hearing voices, she screams again pleading with whoever it is to relieve her pain. When she hears muffled and obscene laughter, she sinks to the floor, tears filling her eyes. Sometimes she wonders if they're ever going to let her go. More than one has touched her inappropriately but her memory is patchy at best. She just can't remember if it's gone farther than that or not.

Hearing footsteps approach, she skitters away from the door. Looking up, a rather clean cut man stalks over towards her. Bleary eyed with fatigue and need of a fix, it's hard to make out his features. When he glances down at her, Elena doesn't know if it's pity or disgust that's reflected in his eyes. Stepping away, he walks into the bathroom and then she hears water running. The next thing she knows, he's stripping her of her clothes, leaving her bared before him. Picking her up, he carries her bridal style and gently sets her in the bathtub. He hands her a washcloth and a bar of soap while he himself pours a pitcher of warm water over her head. Taking the shampoo, he washes her hair and then rinses it while Elena tries to clean herself but her hands are too shaky to be effective at all. Taking it from her hand, the man starts to wash her, touching where only Damon used to touch her before. Needing something, she begs for his help, even straightening her arm in anticipation of a hit.

"Please give me something, anything. Everything hurts, please, I'm begging you," she pleads, her eyes filling with tears. Curling up when a particularly hard cramp hits her like a ton of bricks, Elena cries aloud pain and fear combining to rob her of any restraint. "Take me if you want, I'll do anything." Taking his hand, she places it against her center, her eyes full of want and need, she's dying and will do anything to get relief even if sex is the price to be paid.

Taking the invitation, he touches her intimately. Moaning, Elena leans back, her lips parting. Her eyes snap open when he suddenly pulls his hand away. The next thing she knows, he's lifting her out of the water and wrapping a towel around her shivering body. The man takes his time dressing her in a pair of clean cotton pajamas. Next he lays her on the bed and covers her up. Without saying a word, he walks out of the room. When she hears the click of the lock, she starts crying and pleading aloud, begging for another dose. When no one comes to her aid, she curls up as tightly as she can. Her body is turning on her as pain, fever and nausea make her beg for death to come quickly.

* * *

 _Huge thanks to Eva. I love you dearly. I couldn't do this without you._

 _Big thanks to all of you for embracing this story. Huge thanks. I appreciate each and every one of you. It's going to be a rough, painful read. But DE are tough, "We always Survive"._

 _Chapter title: "Wings of Despair" by Kamelot._

 _Please click the review button._

 _Be safe and have a phenomenal day. Thank you all again. Until next time._


	3. Prayer For The Dying

As another month passes, Damon is starting to lose hope that she'll ever be found alive. Still, he can't bring himself to say the words out loud. Walking into the school wearing his student garb, Damon tries to maintain an air of aloofness. Although he walks beside Bonnie into the school, he ignores her as if he doesn't know her. Brady does the same, keeping a little distance behind as he follows them into the school. With a subtlest of nods, Damon turning down the opposite hall to go to his locker. Chief Shane sent them here at the request of the school's superintendent. There's an ecstasy problem here, claiming one student's life already. It's eerily similar to the a case that they worked on last year.

As much as it pains him, he needs to focus on his job and try to push her into the periphery for little while. He's literally losing his mind with worry and despair. Almost every night, he drives the streets, stopping at all their familiar haunts and every single night he comes up empty handed. It's too much, he realizes.

After they spend a couple of weeks at this school getting into character as the new kids, Damon and Brady begin putting out feelers as has Bonnie. But since they don't want to raise any suspicion, Bonnie is just another girl at the school, they don't know her here. Although they make eye contact when they pass each other in the hall, they maintain their act. The three of them, well four if he's to consider Elena are very good at what they do. All blessed with amazing genes, they easily pass for high school kids which is why they were chosen to work in Captain Shane's unit.

With books in his arms, Damon walks over to his locker, spinning the combination. When he feels long fingernails begin to tickle the hairs at the back of his neck, he shoves his books inside then spins around, smiling when he sees Katie Pierce. Always in character, he smiles widely, cups the back of her neck and joins their lips in a heady kiss. When they hear whistles and cheers, Damon lets go, smirking in triumph at the surrounding crowd. Letting her go for a moment, he pulls out his history book before slamming his locker shut. Wrapping an arm around her neck, Damon drops another quick kiss to her temple. He walks her to her class then hurries to his own. From the little information they've gathered so far, it's rumored that one of the teachers is the dealer. From watching, listening and seeing, Damon suspects it's the history teacher, Mr. Saltzman but he needs more than a hunch to arrest the guy. They'll have to catch him in the act.

As Damon sits in Mr. Saltzman's class, he focuses in on the guy's body language and the looks and mannerisms that he directs at couple of the guys. It's almost as if it's a coded message between the three of them. Through his peripheral vision, Damon notices Peter Thomas give the teacher an almost imperceptible nod. When the bell rings, signaling the end of class, Mr. Saltzman tells both Peter and the other kid, Mark Davis to stay after for a few minutes. What Damon wouldn't do to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. He's going to have to do a reconnaissance on the two guys, maybe carefully ask Katie about them. She's a cheerleader and the queen bee at this school.

Once he leaves the classroom, Damon hurries down the hall hoping to catch up with Katie. When he hears his name, he turns his head and walks right into Bonnie, knocking her to the floor. Immediately she starts cursing at him. It takes everything in Damon not to laugh because Bonnie is so good at slipping into character seamlessly.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"Obviously not, you moron," she snaps, although she takes his hand and lets him pull her up. Stooping down, he gathers her books and hands them to her.

"Oh honey, you weren't watching either or you would've avoided me," Damon retorts, waggling his brows flirtatiously as he does.

"You're incorrigible," she snorts. Giving him a shove, she turns around, waggling her pert little behind as she disappears down the hall. Shaking his head, a chuckle leaving his lips, he starts off down the hall again.

Feeling an arm slide under his, he stops. "Katie, I thought you had gym this hour?"

"I saw you and that new girl," she accuses, running her sharp nails along his jaw. When she sees him roll his eyes, she digs in, drawing blood.

"What the hell, Katherine?" he snaps, latching onto her wrist and forcefully pushing it away.

"There will be a lot more hell if I see you flirting with her again. Not to mention that her pretty little face might get marred a little bit."

"Let's make one thing clear, Katie, Katherine or whatever you go by on any given day, just because a guy looks doesn't mean he touches. Chill okay?" Damon adds, softening his stance because until they apprehend their suspects, he has to have access. "I hear there's a party Friday night?"

"Yeah, a big one down at the lake. There will be lots of goodies," she adds, raising her brows teasingly.

"I think we should go then, don't you?"

"Are you asking me for a date, Damon?"

"I am," Damon starts to say, pulling away when the school's fire alarm starts blaring with a deafening pitch.

"I hate fire drills," she says, rolling her eyes. "We have to go outside."

"I'll be right behind you," I have to run to my locker." After dropping a quick kiss to her lips, he heads down the hall, slipping into a janitor's closet when no one is looking.

"Did you pull that?" he asks Bonnie who quickly locks the door.

"Yes. I heard you ask her to the party. Ben McKittrick asked me to go. He actually told me that the teacher is his supplier."

"Why would he admit that?"

"I have my ways, Damon," she teases, playing running her own nails down his jaw. He grimaces when she accidently runs them over the scratch Katherine gave him. "Did that bitch do this?"

"Yeah," Damon admits. "Listen, I have to go. I'm meeting a friend tonight. He's had his eyes and ears to the ground for me. I can't give up, Bonnie. She has to be out there somewhere."

"I know." After giving him a reassuring hug, she slips out of the closet and hurries out the back door of the school avoiding Katie. Damon then hurries outside and trots over to her when he notices her waving to him. When she throws her arms around his neck, he circles his around her waist and pulls her close. As much as he knows in his head that he's just doing his job, he still can't help but feel a little guilty when it's her face that's always, always foremost in his thoughts.

The rest of the week goes by with the three of them getting closer and closer to busting open the case. They're hoping to arrest the teacher at the party tonight. With Katherine on his arm, they mingle among the other students gathered around the bonfire. When he happens to notice the teacher show up, he excuses himself from Katherine on the guise of getting a can of beer. Opening it, he takes one swallow. Seeing Brady, he nods with his head, motioning for him to take the other direction. Bonnie is talking to one of the other girls but gives Damon a subtle nod too. Carefully he makes his way through the trees. Seeing a light, he can make out the figures of Mr. Saltzman, Peter Thomas and Mark Davis. With it being dark outside, he doesn't know if Brady is in position yet. Feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket, he knows it's Brady so without wasting any time, he runs into the clearing telling all of them to raise their hands. Not wanting to go to jail, the teacher launches himself at Damon, landing a solid punch, enough to make him see stars. By the time Damon gets onto his feet, Brady has Peter and Mark cuffed so Damon takes off after Saltzman. Just as Damon catches up with him, Ben McKittrick tackles him, allowing the teacher to escape.

Furious, Damon reels back and punches the guy in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. Pulling Ben to his feet, Damon lands another solid punch to the gut. "Damon, stop," Bonnie says, not wanting her friend to get in trouble with Internal Affairs. She knows how much stress he's been under, working all day, searching for her every night. She's surprised that he hasn't lost it before now. Nodding to her, he bends over, pressing his palms above his knees. His chest is heaving with exhaustion but when he turns his head, he breathes a huge sigh of relief when he sees Captain Shane urging a now shackled Alaric Saltzman towards a squad car as it pulls up. Relieved that he didn't get away, Damon, Bonnie and Brady walks away, not bothering to look back at the stunned faces of the other partygoers.

* * *

Having no concept of time, one day bleeds into the next for Elena. When a particularly hard cramp roils through her abdomen, she wraps her arms around her middle and screams aloud. Her bedding is wet from perspiration and urine. When she's lost in the throes of withdrawal, she doesn't know up from down, sometimes losing control of her own bodily functions. The one man, the tattooed one, he's a monster who takes a perverse pleasure in torturing her. Sometimes he gives her enough, other times he taunts her, barely giving her anything often sending her tumbling into withdrawal so severe that she pleads for death.

Somehow in her confused mind, she hears the lock click. She struggles to try to sit up but when no one walks in, she collapses, her body tumbling onto the floor. The regular guy is tall and menacing but not this one, he doesn't say much but he's gentle in his demeanor. She knows his voice but doesn't know his face cause he always wears big dark glasses. Usually it's him who changes her soiled bedding and bathes her. As grateful as she is, there are times that she curses him too. Somewhere in recesses of her mind, she knows that as her body requires more and more, it's going to kill her. The moment it's injected, she feels a euphoria that starts in her and moves throughout her body with each beat of her heart. There's a feeling of peace both in body and mind before she moves into a state of bliss. It gives her the most intense and vivid dreams and makes her crave it even more. The high is indescribable and the pleasure far outrivals anything else she's ever experienced.

As much as she hates herself for it, she has nothing to offer except her body to get what she needs. Feeling her belly start to burn and roil, she feels her saliva heating up and before she can stop it, she vomits bile all over herself. The sour smell makes her retch and vomit again. Even though there's nothing in her stomach, her weakened body continues to wretch. As weak as a kitten, she doesn't move, she lays in it. Delirious in her fevered state, her own body damp and sweaty, she closes her eyes. Oblivious to her surroundings, she is barely aware when her arm is stretched out, the prick of the needle slides in painlessly. When she's lifted from the floor, she loses herself in the comforting haze of euphoric bliss.

* * *

After another long night of driving up and down the streets of Phoenix, a very fatigued Damon walks into the precinct and to his office. As soon as he gets to his cubicle, he drops into the chair. Staring at the computer in front of him for a few seconds, he turns it on. It's then that he notices another file on his desk. After busting Alaric Saltzman, they have been laying low. They're already set up at a new place. Bonnie has already spent a week at their new school. But because of a district wide teacher's meeting there is no class there today. When he feels a hand on his shoulder, he looks up, smiling when she hands him a cup of coffee.

"Are you getting up to speed on the case?"

"Yeah, I'm starting tomorrow and Brady is coming in on Friday."

"Did I hear my name?" he asks, sliding his rolling chair over. Taking a sip of his own coffee, Brady adds, "Have either of you noticed how eerily similar it is to the that case we worked last year?"

"The Mikaelson boy. Luckily no one has died there yet. It's my hope that we can stop that from happening," Bonnie mentions, her eyes drifting from Damon to Brady, both nodding their heads. Seeing Damon yawn, Bonnie leans her backside against his desk. "You're running yourself into the ground, Damon. You need to take a break. I know you don't want to hear and I certainly don't want to say it. I love her too but we have to face reality, Damon."

"I know you mean well, Bonnie, but I can't give up. I just know that if she were dead, I'd feel it somehow. Please try to understand."

Before she can respond, Captain Shane steps into his doorway and motions for them to join him. After telling them to take a seat, he leans back in his chair, his stare firmly on Damon. "You look like hell, Damon."

"I'm fine, Captain," Damon lies, taking another swallow from his coffee.

"I know what you're doing, Damon. I've saw you talking to one of those low life's last night when I was driving down Camelback. If you don't get some rest, I'm going to put you on suspension.." When Damon narrows his eyes, his lips tightening, Shane adds, "Without pay."

"That's not fair."

"You really want to go there? I've had IA all over my ass about you beating on that kid at the last school"

"He nearly let the teacher get away. What would you have me do?"

"You need to get some sleep and you need to let Elena go. She's gone and as I know it hurts, Damon, it hurts me too but the odds of her coming back are a long shot at best. I know it's hard to admit, none of us want the inevitable outcome of this nightmare but Damon, you have to accept it and move on."

"I can't," Damon stresses, feeling the knot in his chest grow painfully.

"Listen, I can't tell you how to feel but I will add, for your sake, the next time a pretty little thing joins our group, I expect you to maintain an air of professionalism."

Having heard enough, Damon finally snaps, "I have never ever not maintained an air of professionalism."

Standing up, Bonnie takes Damon's hand and gives it a squeeze. When their eyes meet, he sits back down. "Look Captain Shane, Elena is a very important part of our team. We all love and miss her. Surely you can't fault us for holding out hope, even if it's nothing more than a thread that she'll be found alive. Damon isn't the only one who has been looking for her. We all have."

Tuning out of the conversation, Damon rubs his temples, his head throbbing. It kills him that they didn't make their relationship official before she vanished. She's his other half, a part of him. And if she is dead, Damon knows that she'll always, always be inside of his heart. His love for her will burn hot till he takes his last breath. When he hears the phone slam into its cradle, he looks up to see Shane storm out of the office but not without telling them to stay put. Sliding their chairs together, Brady says softly, "Damon, you have to know that Bonnie and I want her back just as much as you do. A friend of mine is a waiter at Olive and Ivy. Richard Lockwood has reservations for tomorrow evening.

"Can he get me in there?" Damon asks, now sitting at the edge of his seat.

"We'll go too, Damon," Brady says with conviction. Taking each one of their hands, Damon gives their hands a squeeze, letting them know wordlessly how much he values their friendship and camaraderie. Knowing Shane will return in moments, they quickly formulate a plan, silently sliding their chairs back when they hear his voice barking at his secretary.

* * *

 _"Where are you, Elena?" he asks. She can see a man, his stunning blue eyes are the only trait that she can make out. Wanting to get closer, she hurries off in his direction but no matter how far she runs, she gets nowhere. Suddenly she's surrounded by a fog and mist of rain. Freezing cold, her eyes dark and sunk in, she sinks to the base of the tombstone. Hearing an eh-aw, she looks up to see a raven on top of the monument. Cowering down, her eyes drift to the name on the carved into the granite. "Elena Josephine Gilbert"_

Lurching upright in bed to the sound of her own screams, Elena is once again covered in sweat and vomit, her belly twisting painfully. With her skin feeling like bugs are crawling all over her, she gouges deep grooves into it, blood pooling and running down her arms and her neck. Tears begin to pool and leak from her eyes, her head is pounding. She yells aloud begging for some relief to this madness. Sometimes she even begs for death to end the insanity, somehow knowing despite her frazzled mind that death is where this is going to end anyway.

Tossing and turning and unable to think of anything else but the sweet bliss of heroin, Elena drags herself out of bed and crawls over to the door. As hard as her weakened body will allow, she pounds on the door, striking it so hard, she skins her knuckles enough to make them bleed too. Suddenly she hears her name and a dark figure pointing and laughing at her hysterically. Whether it's real or hallucination, she can't tell. When she sees the clear face of Tyler, she screams and skitters into a corner. Bringing in her knees, she wraps her arms around them, closes her eyes and rocks back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

* * *

Sitting in the passenger seat, Damon is nervous, tapping his foot on the floor of the car while Brady drives them to Olive and Ivy to confront Richard Lockwood about Elena's whereabouts. Lost in his thoughts, he startles slightly when he feels Brady's hand on his shoulder. "We're here." Nodding, Damon steps out of the car.

Rubbing his clammy hands on his dress pants, he shakes his head, "Let's do this." With Bonnie and Brady on either side of him, they enter the restaurant. Bonnie made them reservations so they'd have a reason to be here. All three are dressed up cause it's a rather fancy restaurant. Once they're seated, Damon orders an appetizer tray and a mug of beer for each of them. Still nervous, Damon keeps glancing at his watch. Picking up his beer, he takes a long pull. When he feels Bonnie squeeze his forearm, he looks up, his grip on his beer mug tightening when he sees Lockwood walking in with his mistress du jour.

As much as he'd like to stomp right over to his table, he's going to have to wait till the woman gets up to use the bathroom or something. Minutes pass like hours with Damon about to go mad when the bombshell finally stands up and walks away from Richard's table. Giving Damon's hand a squeeze, Bonnie heads to the bathroom to keep the woman occupied for a bit. Taking one more swallow of beer, Damon stands up and walks over to the man's table. With his head in the menu, he says assuming it's his woman, "That didn't take long?"

"You were expecting me?" Damon asks, smirking at the man when he drops the menu.

"Officer Salvatore? How can I help you?" he asks, sarcasm lacing his tone.

"Where are you keeping her?" Damon asks, his heart pounding so hard against his throat that it's a struggle to keep his voice low.

"Keeping who?" Richard asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Where is Elena Gilbert? I know you took her," he accuses, his hands fisting on the table top.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Now if you don't stop harassing me, I will speak to your commanding officer."

"No you won't or I'll speak to your wife," Damon adds, quirking a brow at him. "Now I'm going to repeat myself, where are you keeping her?" Damon can feel his face heating up but he will hear from Shane if he raises a ruckus in an upscale restaurant. He's angry and wants to tear Richard apart but he knows that if he's behind bars himself, he'll never be able to find her. When Richard starts pulling his collar, Damon knows that he's starting to have an effect on the man.

After several moments, he composes himself and starts to chuckle. "Without officer Gilbert's testimony, my son will soon be a free man." Flying out of his chair, Damon leans over him. Getting right in his face, Damon snaps, the timbre of his voice low but threatening, "I will find her and when I do, you are going down." Without saying another word, Damon walks off, skirting around Richard's mistress as he does. Looking over at his table, Damon nods at Bonnie and Brady who follow him outside after settling their bill.

* * *

Laying on her bed, her pupils fixed and staring at the ceiling, Elena is again in the throes of drug withdrawal. Her mind is a morass of haze and confusion more often than not. She's stopped hoping for any release from the insanity that her life has become. Even though she sees those hauntingly beautiful blue eyes when she has dreams instead of nightmares, she doesn't recognize them, not anymore. She curls up when she hears loud voices and thunderous footsteps growing ever closer.

Recognizing the voice of the heinous man who gives her what she craves, she shakily covers herself with the sweat stained sheet. Hearing the door open, she looks up as he's stepping through the door, locking it behind him.

"You're not looking so good sweetheart," he says. Brandishing the syringe in front of her, a sinister smile forming on his lips, he rakes his eyes over her body.

"I..I don't feel very good either," she snaps, her chest heaving. As he moves closer, she spreads her arms, hoping that just once he'll give it to her.

"Oh no, honey, it's not going to be that easy. You know what you have to do," he laughs. Before she can utter a word, he taunts her, "That's it, cop.. you know what to do."

She can't remember why.. but this hurts on a much deeper and profound level. Unable to look at the creature, she turns her head. Behind her closed eyelids, she knows that she should fight tooth and nail against him, against this prison but it's been too long, there's hardly any fight left in her. As much as she hates herself, the only thing that matters anymore is the heroin, she has to have it. The need is so strong that she'll do anything, say anything, allow anything to be done to her as long as she receives what her body is desperate for at the end of it.

Repulsed, she tries to take her mind to safe space, one that he can't invade. The man is monstrous and she hates him so intensely that her insides burn white hot for degrading her mind and body this way. Sometimes he taunts her by pushing the needle in and pulling it out, torturing her by never pushing on the plunger, other times he just jabs it in as painfully as possible.

When he gets what he wants, he picks up the syringe and after painfully straightening her arm, he pierces her skin, finally pushing in her sweet relief. She knows it's wrong but no matter how hard she tries to remember, nothing makes sense, it's like her mind is black hole so skewed in an alternate reality that she can't quite claw her way out of. Then her eyes fall shut, a merciful bliss enveloping her in darkness.

* * *

 _Huge, huge thanks to my dear sister, Eva. She helps in so many ways with bring these stories to paper. I truly would not be here without your invaluable assistance._

 _Huge, huge thanks to all of you too. Yes, this story is dark and will be painful at times to read. I do try to be accurate even though this and all of my stories. Hold tight, help is coming._

 _Chapter title: 'Prayer For The Dying' by Seal._

 _TTBTR is still in progress._

 _Be safe and have a phenomenal day. Thank you all again._


	4. Save Me

As luck would have it, Captain Shane is out of the office for the day. Nearly two weeks have passed since Damon confronted Richard Lockwood at the restaurant. Although he's tried, he just can't stop thinking about it. There's no doubt in his mind that Richard is complicit in Elena's disappearance. The state needed Elena's testimony to put Tyler away for a good long time but without it, he stands to have much lighter sentence if the DA ever brings it back to trial. Aside from Elena going missing which cuts to the very core of his existence, the fact that her kidnappers or murderers, he can hardly voice the word, may get off scot free is galling to him. Staring at the report in front of his computer, he blows out a frustrated puff of air when he realizes that he has read the same paragraph a dozen times already. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looks up just as Bonnie slides a fresh cup of coffee in front of him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I want a tail on Lockwood, day and night," Damon admits, taking a sip of his coffee. "Thanks for this by the way."

"Damon, be reasonable. The three of us can't shadow him 24/7. It's impossible," Brady points out, trying to reason with his friend.

"Besides that, he's not a fool, Damon. Even if he does have her, he wouldn't lead us to where she's being held. Odds are very likely that he's never even been to the location, if she's being held somewhere," Bonnie adds, agreeing with Brady.

"I know it will be difficult but if we take turns and cover for each other at work when necessary... I'm at wit's end. We need to find her if for no other reason than to give her a proper burial," he whispers, fighting the tears that are beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.

"Damon, I know it hurts but we at least have to consider that she might be gone already. I know you love her, I'm not blind but it's been a little over three months already. That's a long time."

"If I could compartmentalize my feelings for her, the rational side of me knows that you're right but my heart can't admit that, not now, not yet, maybe not ever. I need to find her one way or another. Mark my words, I won't rest until I do," Damon vows, a determined look on his face.

Nodding, Brady continues, "Maybe we could try checking in every place that has a connection to the Lockwood family? I don't know if it'll lead us anywhere but it's worth a try."

"Thank you both. I'd lose my sanity if not for the two of you."

"We're a team, Damon," Bonnie says, giving each of their hands a squeeze. Hearing the door slam, they look up, a little shocked to see Captain Shane walk in.

"Okay kids, why are you here and not at the school?"

"We're on our way right now, Captain," Damon mentions. Grabbing his coffee, he hurries out of the office, followed shortly thereafter by Bonnie and Brady.

* * *

Elena breathes a sigh of relief, praying that he's done with her. Wearily, she extends her arm.

Smirking wickedly, the man toot toots, "Oh we're not quite done, cop. We're going to try something different today."

Despite her weakened state she starts to squirm and kick earning a hard backhand from him. Feeling the immediate sting and the taste of blood, she touches it with her fingertips. They're stained red with her blood when she drops her eyes to them. Even though she desperately wants this to end, wants to end him, she knows he'll hurt her even more and deny her what her body craves if she keeps fighting. On the brink of exhaustion and in dire need of a fix, Elena simply lays there like a rag doll, letting him destroy what's left of her body and soul. But with her mind warped and having no concept of place, time, month, any sense of reality, there's not much more he can do to her. Sometimes her brain is so skewed she struggles to remember what life was like before all of this. It scares her that she doesn't remember. This animal doesn't care how brutal he is. If he wasn't the one in charge of her heroin ration, she would kill the cruel bastard herself. Someday, she thinks, hoping that she can find a way.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, she hears the distinct sound of a fist pounding into flesh. Elena opens her bleary eyes to see the monster laying in a heap on the floor. Knowing that he'll punish her for this, Elena weakly grabs onto the other man's wrist. "He won't give it to me if I fight back."

Now realizing what Trevor has been doing all along, he's more disgusted than he's ever been. "Give it to her now," he demands, pointing at the syringe. Not one to do drugs himself, he doesn't know that it could be a lethal dose that's drawn up in that syringe. "As soon as you do it, you're fired."

Smug as always, Trevor purposely bumps into him then pulls up his pants. Because he has sway here, there's nothing Trevor can do to retaliate so he does as he's told and picks up the syringe. Although he had only planned to give her a little now and the rest after another round, he raises an eyebrow at the other man before turning back to the task at hand. After wrapping a tourniquet around her upper arm, he jabs the needle in and pushes it in fast, too fast. Immediately Elena can feel her heart begin to race so fast that it's literally robbing her of breath. One cognizant moment breaks through her stupor when she realizes that _this_ time her prayers for death are going to be answered.

Seeing the horrific way her body is reacting and knowing that the bastard did it intentionally, a seething intense rage begins to burn white hot inside of him. When her eyes start to roll to the back of her head and her body begins to convulse, he picks up the heavy marble lamp and smashes it over Trevor's head. He sinks to the floor, his eyes wide open as his heart beats its last, the pallor of death quickly washing over him.

Knowing that if he doesn't act immediately, Elena will die, he picks her up and runs out of the room. As quickly as he can he jogs down the stairs and out to his car. Depositing her in the seat, he reaches over and buckles her in. It's then that she opens her eyes for a moment, meeting his for an infinite moment. Slipping his sunglasses back on, he slams her door shut, jumps over the hood and into the driver's seat. Squealing the tires, he careens out of the driveway and floors the gas pedal hoping to get her to the hospital in time.

* * *

"You're here, Damon. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me," Andie Starr says. Weaving her arm through his, she walks with him to his locker.

"Now why would I want to avoid you, Andie?" Damon smirks, waggling his brows at her seductively. When they reach her classroom, Damon drops a quick kiss to her lips then strolls off down the hall like he's God's gift to all mankind. Knowing that there's another roofie ring in this school, Damon has to keep his eyes and ears open. He suspects that Kai Parker or as he likes to call himself, Cobra Kai, is the ringleader. He's smarmy and arrogant, drives a Mercedes and wears expensive clothing. Having done a little snooping, Damon knows that the kid's parents are wealthy but still, the guy is much too cocky for his own good. Although they don't have anything concrete, Damon gets a creepy feeling whenever he's around the guy.

After pulling his book out of his locker, he heads to shop class that he just happens to share with Kai. Taking his seat, he watches at their teacher Mr. Tanner starts going over the parts of the fire extinguisher to them. It's required at the school. Knowing how this works, there will likely be a fire drill sometime this week. When it's his turn, he takes it from his teacher and pretends to put out a grease fire, explaining what the RACE protocol is, rescue, alarm, contain and extinguish. Finishing up, he hands it to Kai who does the same thing. As always, Damon is severely sleep deprived. It doesn't take long for his eyes to drift closed in this boring class. He startles when he feels a strong shove against his arm.

"What the hell?" Damon snaps, jumping to his feet.

"Mr. Tanner doesn't like us sleeping in class," Kai snarks, taking the desk behind Damon. Rolling his eyes, Damon somehow manages to keep them open till class is over. Taking his time, he lets Kai and some of his gang walk out first. Then as stealthily as he can, he follows them to the guy's locker room near the gymnasium. With his back to the wall, he skirts along trying to stay hidden from view but also being able to listen in. Hearing Kai mention "roopies", he knows he's on the right track. It's likely that Kai is the kingpin at this school but Damon wants to bust whoever is supplying him with the junk. Having heard enough for now, as quietly as he can, he darts out of the room and goes in search of his friends.

* * *

He is thanking his lucky stars that he skirts through every intersection on a green light. As soon as he pulls onto the road leading to the emergency department, he has to slow down so he won't run over anyone. When he reaches the sliding glass doors of the entrance, he puts the car into park. "We're here sweetheart. You need to stay with me," he says, brushing the back of his hand gently against her cheek. He's mesmerized for a few seconds but when he hears her breath hitch, he knows he needs to get her medical attention and quickly. Jumping out of the car, he runs around to her side, quickly unbuckles her safety belt and lifts her into his arms, again whispering that she needs to hang on. Since she's severely malnourished in addition to everything else, she's as light as the proverbial feather. With her safely in his embrace, he runs into the hospital shouting, "Help me, I need help. I found her laying on the sidewalk a couple of blocks away." The next thing he knows, he's laying her on a gurney. He pauses to whisper something in her ear, "Keep breathing, sweetheart, don't give up," and then he watches as they rush her into one of the rooms, turning away only when he can no longer see her when the doors fall closed.

Even though he'd like to stay with her to know she's going to be okay, he has to leave otherwise he risks exposing himself and everyone else in their organization. After taking one last look at the doors she just disappeared through, he turns on his heels and runs back out through the sliding doors, jumps in his car and disappears in haze of smoke when he guns his engine.

* * *

As soon as he parks his car, he hurries into the hospital. Walking up to the registration desk, he introduces himself. "I'm Captain Shane. I was called to come here, apparently someone was brought in with an officer's badge?"

"Yes, Captain Shane. We've been instructed to escort you back when you get here. Please have a seat, I'll call one of the nurses to tell them that you're here."

"Thank you," Atticus says, taking a seat. Running his hand through his hair, he has to wonder if it's really her. It's been three and half months since she disappeared from the courthouse. He knows he shouldn't get his hopes up, it could be just some girl that found Elena's badge. Until he knows that it's her, he isn't going to alert Damon or anyone else. Restless, he gets up to pour himself a cup of coffee. Just as he's about to add some cream, he hears his name. He quickly puts the lid on and then follows the nurse back into the treatment area where he's approached by a physician.

"What can you tell me?" he asks, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Because of HIPAA laws, I can't really tell you anything. She came in carrying this badge so we were hoping that you could identify if this woman is indeed one of your officers. I will caution you though, she's in rough shape," the doctor explains.

"I hope I can help you then," Atticus says, a little unsure of what he has to do. Nodding, the physician pulls back the curtain and motions for him to come. Taking a deep breath, he walks into the room. Stepping over to the bedside, his breath catches in his throat. Although he thinks it's her, she's so thin and her color is so pale, he can't be absolutely certain. Noticing the needle marks in both arms, he struggles to compose himself. Without saying anything, he walks down to the foot end of the bed. Lifting up the sheet, he immediately knows it's Elena when he sees the small wild orchid tattoo on her foot.

"This is Officer Gilbert."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Atticus says, dropping his eyes for a moment.

"Do you know if she has any family that we can contact?"

"Not that I know of. I think her family died when she was a teenager. I don't know much about her private life."

"Thank you Captain Shane."

"Please, take good care of her. She disappeared somewhere around fourteen weeks ago. We thought it was related to a case we were working on but since we never found her or a body, we couldn't really do anything about it. When the doctor pulls the curtain, he knows that it's time to leave. Pausing for a moment, Shane takes her hand, "He never gave up, Elena. He never gave up." After giving it a squeeze, he walks out with the doctor. He takes the time to give the nurse his number should they need anything, he walks out and into the waiting room. Although he promised his wife, Lucy, that he'd try to quit smoking, he still cheats once in awhile. In dire need, he walks outside and away from the building before lighting up. Closing his eyes, he enjoys the smell of the smoke as it leaves his mouth. Fiddling with the cellphone in his pocket, he knows who he has to call. Pulling it out of his pocket, he leans against the hood of his car and clicks on his icon.

* * *

As he does almost every night, Damon is walking down the back streets and into the dingy bars downtown. It's always the same, he flashes her picture around and yet no one has ever admitted to seeing her. He believes most of them are telling the truth but there's one guy named Trevor that he ran into a week or so ago in one of the strip joints that gave him pause. Damon couldn't get shit out of him but one of the waitresses knew his name. He remembers all too well how his mouth parted just slightly when he showed him her picture. Although he confronted the guy, he denied knowing anything, had another shot and then disappeared, losing Damon in an alley when he tried to chase him. Glancing at his watch, he sees it's almost midnight. Since he has to be at school in the morning, he walks back to his Camaro. Just as he sticks the key in to unlock it, his cellphone rings. Wondering who would be calling him at this time of night, he pulls it out of his pocket, rolling his eyes when he sees the captain's name flashing. Although he'd like nothing more than to push ignore, he opens the door and slides in before answering.

"Captain?" he says, pulling his seatbelt around to buckle it. When he hears what the man has to say, Damon's mouth falls open. In shock, he puts his car into gear and slams on the gas pedal, driving like a madman to the hospital. Both his heart and his mind are a morass of worry, confusion and even gratitude. After all this time, he has to see for himself to know if his prayers have really been answered.

* * *

 _This story will hurt at times. There is still very much left. It's another that started out to be a short story and grew a mind of it's own. Damon loves her very much as you can see. It won't be an easy road back for Elena but she's made of strong stuff, it's always darkest before the dawn._

 _Thank you, Eva. I love you dearly._

 _Huge thank you to each and everyone of you for your unyielding support and friendships that I've made. Because of the Delena universe, I've met so many wonderful people. That's a testament to their enduring legacy. How many couples can claim that mantle?_

 _Chapter title: 'Save Me' by Remy Zero_

 _I did update The "Truth Beneath the Rose" Tuesday evening. If you're interested in learning a little insight into Damon's past, have a look. DE are starting to form a bond._

 _My period piece "San Francisco" will be next to update. It's set in the weeks leading up to and including the catastrophic 1906 earthquake._

 _I would love to hear your thoughts._ _  
_

 _Have a phenomenal rest of your day and evening. Thank you again. We'll see you soon._


	5. Lithium

Nearly flooring the gas pedal, Damon swerves, barely missing another car as he continues driving like a maniac to get to her. Slamming on his brakes, he squeals the tires as he turns into the hospital entrance. It's like time and space are colliding and all he can think about is seeing her again. His heart is pounding like a jackhammer pulverizing concrete. Not only that but his stomach is roiling so hard, he can actually taste bile as it burns the back of his throat. When he gets there, his frustration level peaks even more when he can't find a parking spot. When someone finally pulls out, he makes a U-turn right in front of another car earning himself a horn and a middle finger when he steps out of his car. Not wanting to let another second to pass, he breaks out into a run and doesn't stop till the sliding double doors grant him entrance into the hospital. Stalking over to the reception desk, he's suddenly waylaid by someone. About to launch into a tirade of colorful metaphors, Damon looks up, his temper receding slightly when he sees that it's Captain Shane who pulled him aside.

"What's going on? I need to see Elena, I need to see Elena now."

"Calm down. You need to listen to me," he starts to say, pulling him over to secluded area so they're not overheard. Reluctantly Damon follows along, his anxiety multiplying with each step.

"I need to go to her," he repeats, a look of desperation washing over him.

"You need to prepare yourself, Damon. She's in intensive care."

"Intensive care? Why?" Raking his hand through his hair, Damon struggles as his fears begins to amplify and burn like a wildfire inside of him.

"She's there because she suffered a nearly fatal drug overdose. She looks like death warmed over Damon. She's skin and bones. The only way I could positively identify her is by that flower tattoo she has on her foot."

"Elena doesn't do drugs. Captain you know that?" he adds, struggling to comprehend this madness.

"I know that she didn't do drugs but either she does them now or someone did this to her. She vanished for three and half months.. that's a long time."

"I don't have anymore answers than you do but please, captain, I need to see her, please?" Damon pleads, his heart pounding in his throat.

"I called Bonnie and Brady. They should be here shortly. Come, I'll take you to her room," Shane finally relents. Although he hates for one of his best officers to see Elena like this, he also knows that the man will go stark raving mad if he doesn't see her. He probably should've stepped in the first time he noticed how friendly the two of them were but who is he to stop two people from falling in love? Shaking his head, he follows Damon into the elevator and then pushes the 6th floor button. As it climbs closer and closer to its destination, the butterflies in Damon's belly start fluttering with the velocity of an F5 tornado. When the doors slide open, he blinks then steps out of the elevator, walking beside his captain as he leads him to the nurse's desk.

* * *

Because of hospital rules, Damon is only allowed to see her for a few minutes. The nurse explains to both Damon and Captain Shane that she's been intubated and placed on a ventilator overnight to keep her breathing. She was given a nearly lethal dose of heroin. When they ask to speak to her doctor, she pages him and then leads them to a conference room. As much as Damon wants to know how she is, his need to see her overrides every other detail. As soon as the nurse tells him her room number, he darts out of the door and goes directly to her. When he reaches the threshold, his heart nearly stops. Not believing what's right in front of his eyes, he shakes his head back and forth. As much as he wants to deny that it's Elena, he feels drawn to her like he always does. She's the only woman who's ever made him feel like he was made for her and she for him. Swallowing thickly, he feels his heart again start to thrum at the speed of a freight train as each step takes him closer to her bedside. With a shaky hand, he reaches up to brush a strand of hair off of her forehead.

Leaning over, he presses the wispiest of kisses to her temple and to the corner of her mouth. Because the endotracheal tube is taped in place, it's the only spot where his lips can touch hers. He runs his fingertips along the curve of her jaw astonished to feel how prominent her facial structure is. Shane was right, she is skin and bones and barely recognizable. If not for the way his heart is skittering in his chest, he doesn't know if he'd recognize her either. Pulling a chair over, he sits down then takes her hand in his and brings it to his mouth. Not willing to let go, he holds on as if she's his lifeline.. and she is.

"Please don't die, Elena. I love you so, so much. I know I don't tell you that as often as I should but please, I need you in my life. I've been frantically trying to find you. I'm so sorry that I failed. But rest assured, I will find who did this to you and he or they will pay and pay dearly." When the nurse comes in to check over her machines, Damon notices the IV in her neck. Pulling back the covers just slightly, he sees all of the needle scars and in the soft tissue of her elbow. Shaking his head back and forth in disbelief, he touches it with his fingertips. "I don't care if I have to spend the rest of my life in prison, Lockwood is going to pay for this." Dropping his head onto her arm, he somehow manages to hold all the tears he wants to let escape but he can't. She needs him to be strong because if he breaks, he can't be the man she needs him to be. Hearing a soft rap, he sits up. When he looks over his shoulder, he sees Brady and Bonnie. After giving them a nod, he stands up, leans over to press a kiss to that spot at the corner of her mouth. "I love you, Elena," he whispers then sets her hand down gently before walking out of the room.

* * *

"Damon is that really her?" Bonnie asks, tears slowly crawling down her cheeks.

"It is," he confirms, giving her a comforting hug when she throws her arms around his neck. Although it's hard, he somehow manages to keep it together. Several seconds pass before he notices the captain motioning for them to join him in the conference room. Letting go of Bonnie, he steps back. After giving Elena one last long glance, he startles when he feels a hand in his. He drops his eyes for a moment then lets Bonnie lead him into the room. Suddenly feeling completely boneless, he collapses into one of the chairs. With his hands twisting in his lap, he nods when Brady slides a cup of coffee in front of him.

"I could use something decidedly stronger than that?" he mentions before picking it up to take a long swallow. Grimacing cause it's rock gut strong, Damon sets the cup down and drops his face into his palms. When he hears Shane's voice, he finally looks up, a lackluster appearance on his face.

"This is Dr. Fell, he's Elena's attending physician. These are the people that Elena is closest to," he says, then steps back so the doctor can speak.

"Elena is not out of the woods yet. This wasn't her first hit of heroin or she would likely have died almost instantly. And judging by the needle marks, she's been using for sometime."

Jumping to his feet, Damon snaps, "You take that back, she's not a junkie."

"Calm down, Damon. Dr. Fell doesn't know Elena the way we know her," Brady says then turns to the doctor and validates what his friend said about Elena not being an addict.

"Look, I know that you're very concerned about your friend. Quite honestly you should be. I have no knowledge of her past but I do know what's happening now. The next hours and days are going to be touch and go. She'll start to withdraw from the drug. It won't be pretty," he cautions, putting his hands in the pockets of his lab coat.

"What then? What happens if she lives?" Damon asks, his throat tightening to even utter the words.

After giving his hand yet another squeeze, Bonnie continues, "I think what Damon is asking about is what happens when she leaves the hospital. If she is addicted to heroin, she's going to want more, right? How can we help her to be successful in her recovery?"

"It depends on whether or not your friend wants to get clean and sober. I don't know her."

"The Elena we know and love would never ever take heroin on her own. I don't begin to know how she became addicted, I wish I did but we'll do anything and everything to help her put this behind her."

"I'm glad to hear that because she'll need her friends. Some people are able to give it up cold turkey. But that doesn't happen very often." When his pager goes off, he excuses himself, leaving the group behind. When Bonnie sees the look on Damon's face, she asks him what he's thinking.

"How did Elena get here? It's pretty obvious that she couldn't have brought herself in," he mentions, his nerves firing on all cylinders.

"I asked the same thing, Damon," Atticus starts to say. After taking a sip from his coffee, he continues, "I was told that someone found her laying in the ditch or at the side of the road, the doctor wasn't completely clear. He did say the guy disappeared as soon as Elena was taken into the treatment area."

"Surely the hospital has security cameras? Do you think they'd let us have a look or would we need a subpoena?" Brady asks, his eyes darting from Damon to their Captain.

"That's a good idea, Brady. I'll go talk to the head of security to see what we need to do," he remarks. As soon as he finishes his coffee, he excuses himself to do just that. Without saying another word, Damon leaves to go back to her room. Dropping his forehead against the glass, he stares at the love of his life. Feeling completely helpless, he wishes that someone would wake him up from this never ending nightmare.

* * *

As her mind and body slowly start to gain a foothold back in the conscious world, her eyes begin to flutter beneath the cover of her lids. The first thing she notices is that she doesn't smell the lingering odor of cigarette smoke. With her tongue, she feels the tube in her mouth. It bothers her cause it's reminds her of something else but she's not sure what it is. When she feels what she thinks is hand laying on top hers, she struggles to pull away but her effort is futile because her hands are secured at her sides. Feeling an intense fear begin to lap at her insides, she tries to scream but it's drowned out by alarms blaring. The next thing she knows she hears a man's voice telling her to relax. Although it's vaguely familiar, she has no idea why or who it might be. Finally she finds the strength and opens her eyes, the first thing she sees is the intense color of blue, so unworldly blue in fact that it seems surreal, like she's hallucinating them. After blinking a couple of times, she forces them open again, this time seeing the face that holds those eyes. Her hearts starts skittering like a battering ram inside of her chest, terror growing and spreading with each beat.

When the nurse tells her to calm down, her fear only expands even more so the nurse does the only thing she can do to help her patient. With Elena's fear filled eyes on her, she slowly injects something into her IV and before Elena can blink, her eyes fall closed as the drug pulls her blissfully back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Having seen her panic at the sight of him, Damon is reeling inside. When her eyes fall closed again, he stumbles backwards out of the room. Seeing such fear staring back at him, almost as if she didn't know who he was, Damon is at a loss. Shaking his head back and forth, he has the urge to run and he does. Finding the stairwell, he starts taking two at a time till he reaches the ground level and then doesn't stop till he's outside. When he reaches the very edge of the parking lot, he pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lights one up. Although he quit a couple of years ago at her behest, Damon needs something to calm his now frayed nerves.

When he hears his name, he looks up. Rather than acknowledge him, he takes a long pull from his cigarette. After blowing out the smoke slowly, he drops it to the ground and stomps it out.

"Captain?"

"What are you doing out here, Damon?"

"Would you believe that I needed some air?" he replies, laughing inappropriately.

"You're not fooling anyone, Damon. I need you to be on your game so you can go back to work."

"I can't go back right now. Not till I know that she's out of the woods."

"I can give you a couple of weeks off okay?"

"Thanks," Damon adds, giving him a nod. When Shane walks towards the hospital, Damon follows behind, hoping that the next time she wakes up, he'll see at least a flicker of recognition in her eyes.

* * *

As hard as it is, Damon spends everyday at her bedside. Watching her go through heroin withdrawal is the stuff that nightmares are made of. Her mind is still foggy, her skin is beaded with sweat, she thrashes and curls painfully. Although he tries to offer some comfort to her, she's delirious and often lashes out at him. In a rare lucid moment, she confirms to him that he looks familiar but that she just can't place him which only enrages him even more. His rage isn't directed at her, it's directed at the animals who did this to her. Even if he ends up dead himself when all this is over so be it. As long as he takes that person with him, it'll be worth it in the end. The sound of her painful cries pull him out of his reverie. Picking up a washcloth, he steps into her bathroom to moisten it. As gently as he can, he dabs her forehead, her face and neck all the while whispering to her that she's not alone and that he'll never leave her. When he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket, he sees that it's Andie Starr.

They're always given new phones whenever they start in at a new school. Never would he want to give his own personal number to anyone he meets up with while undercover. She's probably wondering when he's going back to school. Blowing out a frustrated breath, he walks out of his room and right into Captain Shane. Although he protests vehemently when Captain Shane demands he go home and get some rest, Damon reluctantly agrees when the boss threatens to cut off his visits. "You can't do that."

"Watch me," Shane retorts, his arms crossed over his chest.

Shaking his head back and forth, he spins on his heels and goes back into her room. After dropping a kiss to her parched lips and gently cupping her cheek for a moment, Damon leaves but only after Shane agrees to stay with her till Bonnie arrives to relieve him.

* * *

Writhing all over the bed, Elena can't seem to shut off her brain. With each synapse, it's telling her that she needs to get high. It's constant and obsessive and she can't turn it off. No matter how tight she squeezes her eyes shut, she can't see anything else but the words run, run, run, get high flashing in front of her pupils, imploring her to get some relief from this hell. Everything aches, every bone in her body feels like someone's hands are around them and they're using all of their strength to try to break them in half. She cries aloud in agony at how her muscles twitch and spasm involuntarily. Whether she lies down or tries to sit up, it hurts like she's being kicked over and over again with sharp toed boots. When her muscles contract, the pain intensifies exponentially because they feel battered and bruised, every single one of them. The pain is deep and visceral and unending. Her painful cries stab at Damon from every angle. He wishes he could do something to make this easier for her to bear but he can't. He feels helpless and it's killing him.

The nerves in every part of her body are coming back to life. For Elena it feels almost like she's being poked with an electric cattle prod, the pain is incredible. Heroin numbs both mentally and physically. With no one to give it to her, her nerve ending turn back on and start firing up. It fees like someone is taking pins and poking her with them constantly at different intervals. Incoherent and rambling, Elena's body revolting in the most painful of ways. Her tortured cries fill the room and echo out into the hallway. It hurts deep and viscerally that he can't do anything to help her. Not wanting her mournful sounds to disturb the other patients, he gets up and closes the door.

The only way for her to try to alleviate the pain is to clench or contract her muscles voluntarily. Elena clenches her fists over and over and over to the point of exhaustion and then frustration takes over. Cursing at her body for betraying her so viciously, she slams her fists repeatedly against the mattress till her knuckles are abraded from the coarse material of her sheets.

Her legs move involuntarily, back and forth, up and down. She can't even begin to describe the agony that's coursing through every muscle, nerve and bone in her body. "Hell can not be any worse," she cries, writing back and forth, unable to get comfortable no matter which way she lays. She wants to move her legs but they are moving on their own, leaving her to wonder what in the hell is happening to her traitorous body? Her mind won't shut off. It's screaming, the noise deafening, telling her that she needs to get high. She continues to curse angrily, begging Damon or anyone else for some relief from this madness. The constant moving pain and obsessive thoughts bombard her psyche with no end in sight.

If all that isn't bad enough, her body is heats up dangerously. She feels so hot that it's literally robbing her of breath. Mere minutes later, she breaks out in a cold sweat and then it feels like it's freezing cold, only then for the heat to return. And so it goes for hours and hours pushing her body beyond the brink of exhaustion. Although her mind is fuzzy, she feels a gentle hand on her cheeks but it hurts so she turns away. Because Opiates make the body's temperature run on the high side all the time, when they're taken out of the equation, her body has to take back over to regulate its temperature. It's agonizing and brutal and with no relief in sight, she can only scream and cry and plead for something, anything to help her.

Just when she thinks it can't possibly be more unrelenting, she develops severe diarrhea. She can't stay still or get any relief from laying down because she has to run to and from the bathroom. It hurts all the more because her muscles are contracting constantly. Heroin slows everything down including the intestinal tract. As with most heroin addicts, constipation has become normal for her. Now that the heroin is no longer in her body, it tries to right itself. She starts retching so hard she literally feels like her stomach is on fire. Pain and nausea combine to make her pray for death. She feels sick like she has the flu but this is a hundred times worse. Even though there's nothing in her stomach to throw up, it doesn't stop, the dry heaves are even worse. Damon holds her hair, anything to help her but she's out of her mind in misery and has no concept of his presence.

Her stomach muscles hurt so badly because of the contractions it takes to throw up everything in her stomach. When she throws up there's blood which scares the living daylights out of her. When she collapses on the tile floor, Damon picks her up and carries her back to bed. He's so in love with her. If he could trade places with her, he would in the span of a heartbeat.

She pleads for something, anything to make it stop but there is little the nurse can do to help her through it other than keep her body hydrated with IV fluids and medicate her when her blood pressure spikes dangerously high. Her eyes begin to water, her tears falling non stop and then her nose starts to drip like she has one bitch of a cold.

"Help me, please," she cries out in her delirium, not knowing or recognizing any of the voices that are talking to her. It's like they're in a tunnel and she only hears sounds, nothing is breaking through the fog that's encompassing her thought processes. When the pain relents a little, she tries to sleep but she can't. She can barely stay awake but she can't sleep, it's like being both awake and asleep at the same time. Unable to take anymore of the never ending assault on her wrecked body, Elena curls up in a ball with her arms wrapped around her middle. When she feels a hand, she grips onto it, pleading with this person, "Let me die." She's pale, deathly so and her heart is racing painfully as she squirms and writhes in the bed, the sheets twisted around her legs. With her legs on fire, the sheets restrict her movement, driving her further into the realm of absolute madness.

"I can't let you die, Elena. I love you," Damon whispers, having returned to the hospital after unsuccessfully trying to sleep for a few hours. Although he tries to break through, she doesn't hear him. It hurts to see her like this, if he could take the pain for her he would, in a heartbeat. Needing a break, Damon leaves the room to go outside. As much as he hates cigarettes, he lights one up anyway. It's killing him to have to watch the woman he loves quite literally go through hell.

"Damon? Why are you back here already?" Bonnie asks, having noticed him when she pulled into the parking lot.

"I have to be here but I can't stand to see her suffering like this."

"Then don't. Go home, I'll stay with her. My mom was a heroin addict so I know what to expect. When the worst is over she's going to need you. If you keep pushing your body beyond its limits, you won't be able to help her."

"I know you're right but if I'm not here when she's going through this, what does that say about me?" he asks, an anguished look on his face. He lights up the cigarette and takes a long pull, turning away from her to regain his composure.

"I'll tell her that you were here. So will the captain and Brady. You aren't abandoning her, Damon. You're taking care of yourself. She wouldn't want you to collapse. You know that?"

"Fine, I'll go home and try to rest but only if you promise me that you'll call if anything should change."

"You have my word," Bonnie assures him. She watches till he gets in his car and drives away before she walks into the building to take her turn with Elena.

* * *

A few days later, Elena is finally coherent. The social worker and the doctor want her to enter a treatment program but that's the last thing she wants. She wants more and she wants it now. Pacing back and forth in her room, she tries to come up with some plan. She tries to remember what her life was like before. She knows that she'll need money and lots of it if she's going to be able to get what she so desperately desires. Hearing footsteps, she looks up only to see him again.

"It's good to see you out of bed," he says, pressing a kiss to her cheek as soon as he's close enough.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

With her nerves frayed and her fuse short, she lashes out at him, "Kiss me, that's what!"

"I love you. I've known it from the second I laid eyes on you."

"I don't love you. I barely even remember you," she snaps, turning away. In truth, everything is still hazy. She was kept in nightmarish conditions, her brain and body deprived of nourishment, food and water. Her mind is murky about what they shared but she does remember those blue eyes. When she was at that place, she remembers seeing them in her darkest moments. Hearing a rap on her door, they look up. Elena sighs when she sees the hospital's case manager walk in.

"Elena, how are you today?" the woman asks.

"I want to go home."

"Have you thought anymore about the rehab facilities that we talked about? I gave you several pamphlets."

"I don't need rehab. I want to get out of here," Elena repeats, her chest heaving angrily.

"Elena, you can come back home with me."

"Why would I do that?"

"We were pretty much living together before all of this. You can have your own room if you want?"

"I must have a place?"

"You do," he admits. As much as he wants her to come with him, he doesn't want her to feel cornered either.

Although her mind is still fuzzy, she still remembers that man and what he forced her to do to give her what she needed. She can't let herself feel because if she does, she'll break and she isn't going to do that. She did what she had to do to survive. Closing her eyes for a moment, she sees _his_ inked arm. Shuddering slightly, she quickly regains her composure and disappears into the bathroom. When she doesn't come out, the case manager leaves.

Having started back at school two days ago, Damon feels that phone vibrate in his pocket. Seeing Andie's name again, he rolls his eyes. The girl calls him incessantly and it's really starting to annoy. But if they're going to catch Kai Parker in and his supplier, he has to keep in character. Texting her back, he tells her that he'll meet her later at the school. Glancing at his watch, he knows that he has to leave. Stepping over to the bathroom door, he raps on it. Pulling the door open, she walks out but puts some distance between herself and him.

"Listen, Elena. I have to go to work. Please consider coming back to my place. I'll do anything I can to make this easier for you."

"You're a cop, Damon. Why would I want to be around you?"

"You're a cop too, Elena," he points out, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Not anymore," she snaps then turns away and looks out of the window, ignoring everything else he has to say. Stepping behind her, he places his hands on her shoulders, his eyes closing painfully when he feels her stiffen. Brushing it aside for now, he drops a kiss to the back of her head, tells her goodbye and then walks away. When he pauses for a moment in the doorway, she turns around, their eyes meeting for a long a moment. Uncomfortable at the effect he's having on her, she turns away breaking their connection. By the time she dares to look back once more, he's gone allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.

* * *

When he finally rids himself of Andie, Damon heads directly to the hospital. But when he reaches her room, he gets the shock of his life when he sees a man laying in that bed. Confused he stalks over to the nurse's station to ask where Elena is. When the one he recognizes as Patti pulls him aside, he feels fear not unlike the fear he felt when she first disappeared.

"Where is Elena, did she get moved to a different room?" he asks, hoping that the answer is that simple.

"No, Mr. Salvatore, she left against medical advice a few hours ago."

* * *

 _Huge thank you to Eva for coming along with me when I came up with this idea. I love you dearest friend._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. You are all the very best. Thank you from the bottom of my DE loving heart. I have never loved a fictional couple before or since. They're it for me. This is a long story there's much left to come._

 _Chapter title: 'Lithium' by Evanescence_

 _Please click the review button._

 _Be safe and I hope you all have a fabulous day._


	6. Madness

Stunned, it takes Damon a few moments for the words to sink in. As soon as he can speak, he turns on Patti, "What do you mean she left?"

"She didn't have any kind of a legal hold on her, Officer Salvatore. She had the right to leave."

With a million things running through his head, it starts to throb painfully. Pressing his fingertips to his temples, he tries to lessen the pounding with little success. "How long ago did she go?"

"They found her room empty about three hours ago. Security checked the hospital but they couldn't find her. I know she didn't have much on her but what she did have is gone."

"Thanks," Damon mumbles before walking away. Rather than wait for the elevator, he darts into the stairwell and jogs down the seven stories, not breathing till he gets outside. Pulling out his cellphone, he texts Brady and Bonnie. Since he's supposed to go back to school tomorrow, Damon only has this afternoon to find her. Not knowing where to turn, he also texts Shane to see if he's agreeable to put an APB out on her. But because she hasn't committed any crimes, he doubts that it'll happen. However he also knows that she's not of sound mind yet either. Damon has shown her pictures of the two of them but it was like she was looking at strangers. Even if he never gets her back, the thought alone nearly takes him out at the knees but more than that, he needs her to be safe. Alone and on the street with so much of her past still vacant inside of her mind, he needs to find her.

Jumping into his car, he drives like a madman. When he hears the familiar sound of a police siren, he has no choice but to pull over. The first thing Damon does is reach into his glove box to get his badge but when he turns, he finds himself staring down the barrel of the cop's gun.

"I'm just reaching for my badge. I'm a cop too," he says shakily.

"If you're a cop you would know better. Now get out of the car," the guy says. Knowing that the guy means business, Damon does as he says.

"Why don't you pull it out yourself then? Or you can call my boss, Captain Atticus Shane."

"You're one of Shane's kids?"

"I'm not a kid but yes, I'm one of his officers. Just please, I'm in a hurry, can we just do this?"

"Alright, we're going to walk around to the passenger's side and you can pull out your badge, but this weapon stays trained on you until I see it."

With his arms raised, Damon does as he's told. After handing the cop his badge, the officer calls it in to headquarters. As soon as he's done, he hands Damon back his badge and tells him that none of this would've happened had he not been speeding.

"You're right, Damon admits but he's chomping at the bit to meet up with Bonnie and Brady so they can make a plan to find Elena. He agrees with everything the cop admonishes him with to speed things up. He needs to be on his way. After signing the speeding ticket, he jumps in his car and drives off, this time he doesn't speed until he exits the freeway. By the time he reaches the school, Bonnie and Brady are the only ones in the parking lot. But knowing that the walls have eyes around here, he parks across the road and texts them to meet him at the coffee shop about four blocks away. Taking a booth, he orders them a pot and waves when he see his friends step inside.

"What has you so worked up, Damon?"

"Elena took off. I have no idea where to look for her. I need help," he says, his eyes meeting theirs before drifting to the window, his heart pounding in feat because he is certain of one thing, she's going to use again.

* * *

Although she's thrilled and relieved to have escaped that prison, she has another problem on her hands. She knows she can't go home because that's the first place that blue eyes will look. Before anything else, she needs to score a hit. It's been days and she feels like she's going to crawl out of her skin if she doesn't get something quickly. One thing he did tell her was that she used to be a cop herself. She vaguely remembers it. Sometimes she would find herself wondering what she was like before. It's all still so vague. Despite that, she knows that he meant something to her. Although she was remiss to say anything to him, she felt the tingles when his lips touched her skin. He loved a different Elena though not the girl she is now. Walking into the park, she sits down on a bench and drops her face into her hands, trying to think of somewhere that she can score a hit or two of heroin. Restless and edgy, she gets up and starts to pace. That's when she sees a flash of memory. Determined, she somehow knows where to go.

Walking into the seedy bar, she takes a seat and asks for a shot of tequila. Once she throws it back, she spins in her seat and watches the crowd. Noticing how several visit a booth and then walk out of the bar, she's certain that's who she needs to meet. After downing another shot, she strolls over to the booth, sliding across from the man.

"Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is what you can give me," she says, running her tongue along her lower lip sensuously.

"And what would that be beautiful?" he asks, gesturing for the barmaid to bring them something to drink.

"I think you know what I want." she adds, pulling her sleeve back to show him the needle marks.

"What flavor would you like. I have much to choose from."

"I need some horse. It's been awhile and I need it."

"That's going to cost you sweets."

Hesitating, Elena sucks her lower lip between her teeth. Her eyes dart back and forth, anywhere but on him. Biting down harder, deep inside she knows she should stop this in its tracks and go back the hospital. Pausing she drops her eyes. She wants to say no. She wants to say it so badly but every nerve ending, every impulse inside of her is prodding her to say yes. With a war blazing inside of her mind, she wants to forget, she wants the pain and need to stop. In the end, she gives into her impulses. With a shaky voice, she whispers, "I'll give you anything that you want." When the waitress shows up, he gives her a few bucks. As soon as they finish their drinks, he stands up and takes her hand, leading her out of the bar and into his awaiting car. Unlocking it, he shoves her into the backseat. Looking right then left, he crawls in behind her. Using his body to shield her, he injects a mixture of heroin and cocaine into her willing body. He eyes her seductively and then pulls the door closed so he can collect his fee in private.

* * *

Pacing back and forth, Damon is right back to same place he was just a little over a week ago. In the course of the last week, he found her and then lost her all over again. God, she could be anywhere, he thinks to himself. Since he was spending every waking moment and more at the hospital, all of his street contacts are still on the lookout for her. But since it's been a week since he's been around, he makes sure to call or to find everyone of them to tell them that she's still missing. Having spent his Sunday like that, he gets up Monday morning to go to school.

Pulling into the parking lot, he grabs his backpack and gets out. As soon as he pulls open the door to walk in, Andie is latching onto his arm. "I've missed you, Damon."

"I told you that I was sick. I have asthma and sometimes it takes me out of the game you know?"

"Are you okay now though?" she asks, perusing him carefully.

"I am," he adds, dropping a kiss to her finger when she runs it along his lips. Before they can go any further, the bell rings. Damon hurries to his geometry class, taking a seat in the back, Kai Parker visible in his peripheral vision. He doesn't miss how his group is surrounding him and he also doesn't miss when Kai slides a packet to Luke whatever his last name is. When Mr. Andrews walks in, the group scatters and takes their seats. As soon as class is over, Damon begins to trail Kai but falls back when Brady gives him a nod. Looking at his watch, he starts to walk down the hallway to his next class but the only thing on his mind is Elena. Although he's good at covering himself, he's frantic on the inside. With his mind elsewhere, he's taken by surprise when he's suddenly waylaid into an empty classroom.

"Andie, I have to get to bio," he says, trying to step away from her.

"I can show you all you need to know about biology, Damon," she purrs, raising her eyebrows seductively. With a twinkle in her eyes, she unbuttons his jeans and slides her hand down his front. "Andie," he starts to say but his protest dies on his lips when she runs her hand along his length. Closing his eyes, he leans back against the wall, letting her do her best. But when she drops to the floor to take him into her mouth, he snaps out of it, stopping her. After helping her up, he turns around and puts himself back together. Immediately guilt begins to bubble up inside of his belly.

"We can't Andie. Not here," he breathes, his chest still heaving a bit cause she did have him worked up. Turning to face her, he pulls her panties back up then gives her a kiss to maintain his cover. Even though he's no saint, he's never had sex with a school kid. He knows that if he did, that person could claim that he slept with them only to get a conviction. Damon slept around plenty until he realized he wanted something real and even a future with Elena. With that on his mind, he can't and won't go there with this girl or any girl. "You deserve better than to be taken in a dark classroom Andie."

"But I want it."

"And I want you," he says, lying smoothly. "But not here, not at school."

"Fine.. but you owe me one hell of an orgasm."

Nodding, he links his fingers with hers then leads her out of the classroom. Knowing that he's going to have to come up with plenty of stall tactics, he walks her to her next class. Once he finishes bio, he dodges Andie and gets the hell off of the school property before anything else can happen. Damon drives straight to his apartment. He wants to shower and change clothes so he can go out to look for Elena again. But when he opens the door, his mouth falls open when he sees his twin younger brothers, Stefan and Jeremy sitting on the couch, their feet on the coffee table and a bowl of popcorn between them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Damon asks, slipping off his leather jacket. Needing to relax a few minutes, he goes into the kitchen and pulls out a bottle of beer. Plopping down into the recliner, he repeats his question, asking why they're here.

"Can't it just be because we miss our big brother?" Jeremy asks, throwing a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Cocking an eyebrow at him, Damon takes a long pull from his bottle.

"Where's your little girlfriend, you know the hot one?" Stefan asks, walking back into the room after getting his own beer.

"It's a long story, Stef. I don't want to get into it."

"Does that mean she's free? She is hot."

"No, Stefan, she isn't free. We're just going through something right now," he starts to say, silently thanking the deities when his phone rings. Getting up, he leaves the room to take the call. Moments later, he jumps in the shower and changes his clothes. Walking back out to the living room, he explains. "I have to go to work, they found a body not far from the school that I'm working at right now. You're welcome to stay but clean up the mess okay?"

"See you later brother," Jeremy says, not bothering to look at him. Stefan waves animatedly then turns back to the movie. Rolling his eyes, Damon puts on his shoulder holster then hurries out of his place. As soon as he nears the park, he sees the barrage of cop cars and flashing lights. As soon as he parks his car, he jogs over to where Brady is standing. Taking Damon by the arm, Brady walks him over to the body. Pulling one part of the sheet back, he points at the guy's tattoo. It's a skull with a snake coiled around it. It's fangs are dropped, blood dripping from them.

"He's the guy I saw in the bar that night. The one who disappeared as soon as I showed him Elena's picture. His name is Trevor. That's all I know." Looking at his battered head, brain matter protruding from it, Damon can't help but wonder if this murder is somehow connected to Elena.

* * *

With her high beginning to recede, Elena finds herself at another bar. The music is blaring and to a sultry beat so she makes her way out onto the dance floor and starts shimmying around and grinding against some of the men. When one takes her hands and spins her, she starts to laugh hysterically. Unbuttoning the top two buttons on her shirt, she starts to flaunt her feminine curves at voluptuous breasts. When one of the men pulls her into his arms, he drops his lips kissing her fiercely. Although his breath tastes like stale vodka and sweat, she feels the crinkle of cellophane when she runs her hand down the curve of his ass and over the pocket of his jeans. "Mmm," she moans.

"You like that?" he asks, his voice slurred slightly as he's high too. Taking her hand, he leads her over to a booth where a couple of other guys are waiting. The smell of cigarette smoke and pot is thick in the air. When she feels his hand on her mouth, she's about to protest when his fingers slip a pill inside. He winks at her then hands her a beer. Taking a big chug, she swallows down the pill, almost immediately she begins to feel light and carefree, her body hot and wanting. "There's lots more where that came from," he whispers in her ear before he begins trailing kisses down her neck.

Somewhere inside she knows she shouldn't be doing this, a faint memory of blue eyes linger in her subconscious. It hurts and she doesn't know why this both hurts and feels good at the same time. Her eyes snap open when he runs his hand down the curve of her ass, giving it a firm squeeze.

When he removes his hand, he adds, "I know where we can get some much better stuff. Are you interested?"

Elena hesitates for a moment knowing that it's dangerous but she also has nowhere to go so she nods her head. The man takes her hand and leads her outside. As soon as they're in the back of his car, he presses another pill between her lips, her eyes falling closed by the rhythm of the road and the beat of the music as they drive towards their destination.

* * *

When they see some of the school kids, Damon and Brady back away, hoping that they weren't seen. As nonchalantly as possible, they blend into the crowd and get into character. The two of them watch as the body is loaded up and put into a hearse to take it to the morgue for autopsy.

"Did you see it?" Damon asks Brady, pretending that they both just happen to be there.

"We found the body," he says, staring blindly as if in shock. When they see Captain Shane walking up to them, they step back slightly as he approaches.

"Do any of you know who that man is?" Shane asks, his notebook and pen in hand.

"I've seen him in the neighborhood," Brady admits with Damon nodding.

"Do any of you know anything else?"

When they all shake their heads no, Shane dismisses them but pulls Damon and Brady aside. Once the kids disperse, Damon tells the captain about running into the guy one night when he was looking for Elena. "What if she's in danger too? What if she knows something?" Damon asks, raking his hand through his hair in frustration.

"I need to find her. She's not safe, she could OD, she could do anything," Damon adds, his eyes full of worry. "I can't just sit here doing nothing, I have to look for her."

"You need to be at the school tomorrow morning, Damon."

"I'll be there." And with that, he turns on his heels and jogs out of the park, gets in his car and heads downtown to the bar where he first saw Trevor.

* * *

When the pills start to wear off, Elena opens her eyes and looks around, she's spread out on a couch but she's wearing her clothes. Sitting up, she smiles when another girl approaches, handing her a bottle of vodka. With shaky hands, she takes a long pull, shuddering at the intense burn as it goes all the way into her stomach. Feeling over heated, she rubs her hand across her sweaty forehead then pushes a strand of hair behind her ears. Pushing up her sleeves, she looks around, breathing a heady sigh of relief when she sees some needles on a table on the other side of the room. Raising her eyes, she sees some guy smirking at her. When he motions with his arm for her to join him, she points at herself. He bobs his head up and down so she gets up but stumbles, landing flat on her face. Groaning, she sits up and takes the man's hand when he offers it. He helps her up then leads her over to the table, sits down and pulls her onto his lap.

Picking up the needle, he wraps a tourniquet around her arm. Just as he's presses the needle into her vein and pushes it in at the same time another guy hisses, "Enzo."

Elena is already starting to feel the effects of the heroin but somehow she finds herself mesmerized by the man clad only in black. He's dark and mysterious looking.

"What do we have here?" he asks. Now too far gone, Elena doesn't know up from down, her head lulling on the guy's arm.

"She says her name's Elena," the guy holding her admits. "You can have her. She's a pretty one for your stable," another guys stutter in fear.

"What do you want for her?" he asks, his eyes darting from her to the other guy. Knowing that guys will pay a nice price for someone with her exotic look, Enzo takes her hands and lifts her up. She sways and her knees nearly give out. "Come on sweetheart." After tossing the guys a few bills, he throws Elena over his shoulder and disappears out of the door.

* * *

 _Trust me..._

 _Huge thanks to you, Eva. Love you dearly._

 _Massive thanks to all of you. I am in awe of all of you really. Thank you so very much. You are all the very best._

 _Chapter title: 'Madness' by All That Remains._

 _Please also have a look at SF and TTBTR._

 _Be safe and I hope you all have a phenomenal day. Thank you all again._


	7. It's Not Me

Feeling the wispiest of touches on her nose, a half conscious Elena brushes it away. When it persists, she opens her eyes, scrunching up her face when she hears the fly buzzing around. As her eyes take in the room, she suddenly feels afraid, very afraid. Her heart starts skittering around as she scans the place. She doesn't recognize anything at all. The curtains are dancing with the light breeze coming in from the cracked window. Forcing herself to sit up, she slowly brings her legs out over the side of the bed. Shaky now as the drugs are leaving her body, she stumbles over to the window, her heart sinking to her stomach when she sees that she's several stories up. She'd surely die if she tried to jump from this height. Needing to pee, she pulls the door open. Looking from left to right, she doesn't see anyone so she starts to tiptoe down the hall, quietly opening each door till she finds it. Stepping inside, she locks it and then does her business. Looking at her teeth, she starts pulling open drawers to see if she can find a new toothbrush. Coming up empty, she uses her fingers as best she can. Then she leaves the room but this time she walks right into someone, sending her sprawling to the floor, landing on her ass.

Swallowing thickly, she looks up and sees a man, an unfamiliar one. The first question that crosses her mind is if she's going to be held prisoner again. Although she doesn't offer her hand, the man grabs onto hers, using them to pull her up before nudging her back towards the room she came from. Once she's inside, he pulls the door closed behind her. Hearing the lock click, Elena collapses onto the bed. Now with withdrawal beginning to set in again, she is anxious beyond measure. Getting up, she starts to pace back and forth. She doesn't remember this man nor any of what came before. It's like somehow, they wiped her mind, freeing it from all the memories that made her who she is. That's another reason she ran. That man, Damon and that Shane guy wanted to know where she was. If she knew she would've told them but she doesn't. Even though her head is being bombarded once more with thoughts of drugs and the intense high that she craves, she isn't blind either. She could see how that blue eyes looked at her and the way he would touch her as if in reverence. She's not stupid after all. Apparently she was a cop before all of this happened.

Feeling her head start to throb, Elena sinks into the corner. Dropping her forehead in her hands, she rocks back and forth trying to take her mind off of heroin but she can't. Digging her fingernails into her scalp, she feels like she's going to crawl out of her skin. About to lose her mind, her eyes snap open when she hears her door slam. Looking up, she sees that man again. She watches as he makes her bed then sits down at the foot of it. Staring at him intently, she doesn't know what to say or what he wants.

"Why don't you tell me what a cop like you is doing here?"

"I don't know who you are but I'm not a cop anymore. I want to leave," she proclaims, her voice not nearly as firm sounding as she'd like it to be.

"You're free to leave but are you sure you want to?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow at her.

Although she doesn't answer, she knows that he's right. She has nowhere to go, not anymore. The place she used to live, if she could even find it, is likely being watched. She'd be detained as soon as she tried to go inside.

"I'm not going to stop you from leaving but your only other option is to jump another junkie for a hit. If that's what you want, go for it. But hey, if you have a death wish, that will take care of everything... will it not?"

"I... I don't want to die."

"Then you need to take a shower pet. You smell a little worse for wear. I'm sure I can find you something clean for you to slip into and maybe a little something to take the edge off. But you need to be a little more cooperative," he adds, staring down his nose at her. After several seconds, he gets up and walks out, leaving Elena speechless. Several minutes later a woman walks in carrying a tee shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She's dark with perfectly sculpted cheekbones. She's quite beautiful really, her long straight hair shimmers in the sunlight. Suddenly feeling very small, Elena sadly remembers that she used to look like that.

"I'm Lucy. I'm going to help you get washed up now." Still stunned, Elena nods and slowly stands up but with her legs shaky, she almost topples over but Lucy rushes over, breaking her fall.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Maybe I can talk Enzo into giving you something when you're done in the shower. You look like you could use a hit."

"Um, yeah. I.. I wasn't always like this."

"None of us were honey," Lucy adds, smiling sadly at her. Although Elena doesn't know why, fear and dread begin to burn hot and swirl in her belly. With her slow and shaky gait, she follows the lady to the bathroom. Lucy tells her to sit on the toilet seat while she runs some water. She watches the woman as she pours bubble bath into the tub. After she sets the bottle down, she lifts Elena's shirt off of her body and helps her up. Using her arms, she covers her breasts. She jumps when Lucy lowers her jeans and panties leaving her bare to the other woman's eyes. Lucy leans and drops a kiss to Elena's forehead. When she sees Elena's skin erupt with goosebumps, she backs off. Taking her hand, she helps her into the tub. Once she hands Elena a washcloth and a bar of soap, she starts to leave the room.

"I'm Elena."

"Well, Elena. I'm one of Enzo's girls." Without another word, she walks out of the bathroom, pulling the door closed behind her.

* * *

Having had to avoid Andie for the rest of the school day and then after prowling the streets for several hours, Damon is running on fumes by the time he gets home. When he walks in, he pushes the door closed with his back. Leaning against it, he drops his head back and closes his eyes. About to sink to the floor, he hears footsteps. Although he knows it isn't her, he waits a few seconds before he fixes his gaze on one of his brothers.

"Are you okay, Damon?" Jeremy asks, approaching him quickly.

"Fine Jer, I'm just really tired."

"You look like shit. Seriously, you need to get some sleep."

"That's what I intend to do. Are you guys going to be here when I get up in the morning?"

"Yeah, we'll be here. We have to head back tomorrow though. We both work Friday."

"I'm too tired to talk right now but tomorrow you can tell me what you do there. I'll set the alarm so I can make you breakfast okay?"

"That would be great Damey," Stefan teases.

"Ha ha, Stef. You know I hate that nickname," Damon laughs, he's so tired, he's feeling punchy right now. Shaking his head, he continues to chuckle as he walks down the hall and disappears into his bedroom. Too tired to shower, Damon simply strips off his shirt and jeans and then fall into bed. He lays a few minutes then sits up on one arm and reaches into the drawer of his bedside stand. Pulling out Elena's infinity necklace, he runs it through his fingers a few times. God, he misses her. When the heavy feeling in his chest returns with a vengeance, he takes a breath, drops it back into the drawer. After putting a pair of earplugs in, he settles down and closes his eyes and as always, it's _her_ who stars in his dreams.

 _When she wraps her arms around his neck, he encircles her slim waist with his own. "What are we going to do?" she asks. Stepping on her tiptoes, she presses a quick kiss to his lips. Dropping one to her forehead, he pulls her flush against him and holds her close. Because it's the weekend, they have a day off. Wanting to get out of the city, Damon picks her up and then drives north till they reach Grand Canyon National Park. Taking her hand in his, they get a map in the visitor's center and then start walking the trails. Because it's a little chilly today, they don't meet anyone else so Damon pulls her off of the trail and into a little secluded area. In moments, he has her flat on her back, her shirt unbuttoned and her breasts bared to his eyes. After giving them both the attention that they deserve, he unbuttons her jeans. With a twinkle in his eyes, he puts his hand on the zip pull._

Buzz, buzz, buzz, sounds his alarm clock, rudely startling him awake. With a heavy hand, he reaches over and turns it off. Scrubbing his hand down his face, he rubs the sleep out of his eyes, throws his legs over the edge and wearily stumbles to the bathroom to take care of his needs.

* * *

Once he's dressed, he walks into the kitchen with bare feet. He mixes flour, eggs and milk and the other ingredients and gets them mixed up. Lastly he smashes a couple of bananas, mixes them in along with some mini chocolate chips. He keeps them handy cause Elena likes chocolate chips in her pancakes too. Saddened at the thought of her, he looks out of the kitchen window for a few seconds. Damon can't help but wonder if the melancholy will ever go away. "Stop it, Damon. You have to believe you'll get her back or you'll lose your mind," he says softly, breathing a sigh of relief that neither of his brothers overhead him. After heating up the griddle, he starts making pancakes. Just as he's about to plate them and fry some eggs, Stefan and Jeremy come in and take a seat.

"There's coffee in the pot," Damon tells them without turning around. Hearing the chair leg drag against the floor and then his brother's form brush against him, Damon cracks the eggs. After handing Damon a cup of coffee, Jeremy pours another for himself and for Stefan. Busying himself, Stefan sets the table and then carries the pancakes over and after setting the plate down, he gets the syrup and butter out along with the silverware. Once Damon plates the eggs, he carries them over to the table and joins his brothers to eat.

"Do you have school today?"

"I do. There's a gang of kids selling the date rape drug."

"What about the corpse? Do you ever have nightmares about seeing dead bodies?" Stefan asks, stuffing a bite of pancake into his mouth.

"Stefan, come on we're eating," Damon retorts, making a face.

"Fine," he says, adding, These are good, Damon. Mom would've love these."

"I'll make them for her sometime," Damon offers, not wanting to talk about their parents. It's not that he doesn't love them, he does, it's just that they've never agreed with his choice for a profession. Spearing another one, he puts it on his plate, pours some syrup over it and then takes another bite. Reaching for the eggs, he takes one of those and quickly gobbles it down. Finished, he gets up to put his plate in the sink and refill his coffee cup. Leaning against the counter, he relaxes for a few minutes so he can enjoy his freshly brewed coffee. Once he takes the last swallow, he sets it down and then goes into his bedroom to grab his jacket, his phone and his wallet so he can go to class.

"Would you guys at least do the dishes before you go? I'll try to drive up to the canyon one of these weekends okay?"

"Seriously, Damon.., are you okay?" Jeremy asks, putting the last pancake on his plate.

"I'm fine guys. You don't need to worry about me. I'm sorry but I have to get to school. Make sure you lock up before you leave," he adds. With that, he gives them a smile and walks out of the door, pulling it closed behind him.

* * *

 _"No don't. please, please just give it to me," she pleads, for once not wanting to sell her body for the heroin she now craves. When he stalks towards her she skitters to the head of her bed trying to get away but it's useless. Stretching out his arm, his thick and long fingers grab her neck and squeeze. Feeling her face reddening and heating up, her eyes focus in on his tattooed arm. It's covered in them but the one she notices is the skull with the snake and the bloody fangs. Starting to see stars, she knows that death is only minutes away unless he lets go. Although she tries to pry his fingers loose, she's just not strong enough. When her eyes start to roll and her head begins to lull, he lets go, Elena collapsing to the mattress like a ragdoll. When she starts to wake, he's already on her, plunging his filthy tongue into her mouth. Not yet fully aware of her surroundings, she tries to fight but this time he slaps her, hard, enough to knock her out._

Still locked in the throes of a restless sleep, Elena rolls over and buries her face in the pillow.

 _"Let's get you washed up," the kind man with the sunglasses says. Lifting her into his arms, he sets her in the bathtub and then washes her up. With gentle hands, he washes her hair and then braids it to keep it out of her face. She likes him, he's nice and doesn't ask for anything in return. When she asks him what his name is, he just smiles and says he's a friend._

Restless still, Elena turns again, this time she lays on her belly and pulls the pillow down over her head. Still a good sleep is elusive. When she drifts back into it, it's his face she sees.

 _Awakening in the white room amidst the noise of machines and alarms, the first thing she sees is the color blue. Vivid and bright, they're almost the color of a blue hibiscus. Elena loved them as a child. Her mother had a garden full of them and of every color that she can imagine. Feeling his soft touch on her cheek, her heart starts speeding up. That man is so beautiful and yet she can't quite remember him. Why is he so nice to her, she wonders? He stays with her day and night, holding her through her nightmares. She doesn't understand why it hurts to look into those endless pools of blue but it does. She wishes she could be the girl he remembers but she's not. And that's what hurts the most._

Turning over and over repeatedly, she sees him yet again.

 _He's walking amongst the headstones in the cemetery. His eyes are moist with just a trickle of moisture falling from the corners. When he reaches one that resembles angel's wings, he stops and collapses to his knees. Suddenly there's a crow and fog but just as suddenly the fog clears and that's when she can see the name on the stone.. "Elena Gilbert."_

Still captive to the nightmares, Elena then hears both the man's accented voice and Lucy's too.

 _She listens intently as Lucy tells him all about her. When she hears movement, she runs back to her room. Unable to escape, he catches up to her. With firm hands, he strips off her clothes and then ties each limb to the bed post. After he stuffs a gag into her mouth, he strips himself then orders Lucy to do the same. Her eyes are filled with fear when she sees the sun gleaming off the shiny blade of a knife. With its razor sharp edge, he runs it down her stomach, blood beading out along the length of it. Raising her eyes, she screams in terror when she sees his eyes redden and his canine teeth sharpen and drop just before he bites into her femoral artery, draining her of life, her heart beating its last._

Her own screams wake her up. Lurching upright, she fists her hair, tugging it painfully. Nearly hyperventilating by the time Enzo and Lucy run into the room, Elena's chest is heaving and her heart is pounding so hard that she can't seem to catch her breath.. Although awake, her eyes are glazed like she has no comprehension of reality. She's screaming and crying and not even cognizant of the fact that she's not alone anymore. Although he does it with a gentle hand, Enzo slaps her. It's then that he sees her eyes clear but her tears continue to pour like waterfalls. Getting up, he walks out of the room for a moment. With deft hands, he sticks the needle in her vein without a tourniquet.. He watches as she drifts back into a drug induced sleep. Standing up, he disposes of the needle and walks to the door. Pausing, he turns around and shakes his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

* * *

Having had very little sleep again, Damon is in a rather foul mood by the time he pulls into the school's parking lot. Reaching for his phone, he looks to see if there's anything from Elena. As usual there's nothing but it still hurts every time. Between worrying about her and trying to play a role here, he's almost at his wit's end. When he sees Brady closing in on him, he quickly drops his personal phone in the glove box and then gets out of his car. "Morning," he says to his friend as he reaches into the backseat to pick up his backpack. Throwing it over his shoulder, the two of them start to walk towards the school building. "Where's Bon?"

"She's inside, in character. Kai is into her. So she's playing it for all it's worth."

"She's good at that," Damon laughs, but it dies quickly when he remembers how good Elena was at her job too.

"If she can get him to talk, maybe our job will be done here sooner?"

"Perhaps?" Damon replies, reaching up to cover his mouth when he starts to yawn which is followed by a cough. Having burned the candle at both ends for many months now, Damon knows he's run down. He decides to stop at the grocery store on the way home to get some orange juice so he can OD on vitamin C. Maybe that'll help to stave off anything. Walking up the steps, Brady pulls open the door, motioning for Damon to walk in first. With a nod, they each go their own way and take on their characters personalities. Dropping into his seat in the classroom, Damon keeps losing his train of thought. His nose starts to run and he has to clear his throat several times. And while he tries to keep an eye on Kai, his thoughts keep drifting to Elena. He's never been so relieved to hear the bell ring as he is this morning. Hurrying out of the classroom, he runs directly into Andie who judging by her darkened pupils has more of the same on her mind.

"Not now, Andie," he snaps, darting around her to head to his locker.

"What's with you?"

"Nothing is the matter with me. What's the matter with you?"

With furor erupting on her features, she stiffens her posture and places her hands on her hips. Leaning forward, she spits, "Until you can apologize, don't expect anything from me." After glaring at him a few more seconds, she turns on her heels and hurries down the hall. Rolling his eyes, he texts Brady that he doesn't feel good and is going to go to the station for awhile. Coming face to face with Shane, he explains that he thinks he's catching a cold and then asks him if they got the tapes from the hospital yet.

"Yeah, Matt went through them meticulously and finally found what he believes to be the man and Elena. Come on, let's go look at them together," he says, surprising Damon that he's on an even keel today. They walk down the hall to the video room. On Shane's instructions, Matt starts playing the recording. They see a brand new Mustang pull up. The guy is lean, muscular and has dark hair. Much to Damon's frustration, he somehow manages to avoid looking into the camera. He watches as the guy lifts an obviously strung out Elena out of the passenger seat. He watches entranced as he drops his mouth to her ear, whispering something. Then he disappears through the double doors. Several minutes pass and when he comes out again, he's wearing big dark sunglasses and has the hoodie pulled up. Then he jumps back into his car and disappears, kicking up a cloud of smoke when he does which obscures his license plate.

"Son of a bitch," Damon snaps then covers his mouth to cough. "You saw him whispering to her, Captain. There is no way that he just found her laying in a ditch."

"I agree," Shane adds, telling Matt to cue it up again. Watching it a second time, they see him whispering in her ear again as he's carrying her through the doors. Picking up nothing new on the third viewing, Shane tells Damon to go home and get some rest. Damon takes the time to update Shane on the case at the school and then he decides for once to do as he's told and go home. After making a detour at the grocery store, he goes directly home. With the paper bag in his arms, he starts to go into his place, stopping in his tracks when a man that he recognizes but doesn't know approaches him.

"Damon Salvatore? I'm Lorenzo St. John," he says offering his hand. Eyeing him suspiciously, Damon shifts the bag to one arm and shakes the guy's hand. Before Damon can utter a word, the guy adds cryptically, "I believe that I have something of yours."

* * *

 _Thank you Eva. I love you very, very much._

 _Huge thanks to all of you as well. I wouldn't take so much pleasure in doing this if not for Eva and all of you. It's a fact. Your reviews are so inspiring._

 _Chapter title: 'It's Not Me' by 3 Doors Down._

 _Please have a look at my other stories._

 _Be safe and have a fabulous evening and a wonderful Tuesday. Thank you all again. Until next time._


	8. Mad World

Even though he feels like hell, it takes Damon about a millisecond to get the gist of what the man's said. Feeling his heart start to slam inside as anger and revulsion begin to burn hot, he snaps, "Where is she? What did you do to her?" Dropping the bag to the ground, he lurches forward with the intention of arresting him.

Maintaining his cool, Enzo tut tuts, "Relax buddy, I didn't hurt her and I won't. On the contrary, I actually saved her from a lot of trouble."

"Where is she?" he repeats. One hand fisted, Damon punches it into the other as he stares at the other man. He's seen this guy on the streets. From what he's heard, this guy is more careful than a lot of the others that hang out on that side of town. That said, Damon also knows his reputation and it's not something to joke about. But the one thing he does know from hanging around in that part of town during his nightly treks to try to find her is that he treats his girls well. _His_ girls echoes in Damon's mind and immediately he starts to lose his cool again. "What did you do with Elena?"

"I have done nothing to her. Listen, you and I don't know each other but we do know about each other. I have a lot of resources Officer Salvatore. I know you've been looking for her night after night for many months. I thought it was time for us to meet. And despite appearances, I'm not a monster," Enzo points out. Watching Damon intently, he continues. "From what I've heard, what happened to your lady wasn't her fault."

"And you, the good guy as you're so fond of telling me, just wants to give her back? For what exactly? Surely you have a price or you wouldn't be here," Damon retorts, trying to tamper down his anger.

"Quite the contrary, Damon, may I call you that? I don't want anything but I want you to remember that I'm doing this for you. I repeat, I am not a monster."

"Would your girls agree?" Damon mutters under his breath.

"You're welcome to speak to them if you don't believe me. I'm nothing if not good to my women. I take care of and look after them. And I can assure you that they all have their own free will. If they want out, I let them out. But that said, this needs to stay between the two of us. I have a reputation to maintain after all," Enzo adds, smirking at the man in front of him. Damon stares at him. He really doesn't know what to say, all he knows is that he wants her back more than he wants his next breath.

"So, I have a proposition for you. You're welcome to come to get your girl but given the state she's in, which isn't my doing by the way, it'd be better if you don't pressure her. You can accidentally on purpose find her at this address," he pauses handing Damon a slip of paper. "I'll also put the word out that she's mine and should she end up on the street again, I'll know. And if I were you, I'd keep a closer eye on her, next time she might not survive." After meeting Damon's eyes once more, he turns to leave, stopping short when Damon latches onto his arm.

"Yes?" Enzo asks, an amused look on his face. Seeing Damon's cellphone in his free hand, he takes and inputs his own number. "I don't want yours. It won't look good if anyone thinks I'm in touch with a cop." Then he turns and starts to walk off. When he's several feet away, he pauses and adds, "Oh and you might want to have her tested before there's a happy reunion." With that, he tears the corner and disappears from Damon's line of sight.

* * *

As soon as picks the groceries he dropped, he takes them into his place. Immediately after setting it in the kitchen, Damon forgets all about getting some rest and everything else for that matter. Running out to his car, he hops in and drives as quickly as he can to the address that Enzo gave him. He parks it a couple of houses away but he still has a good view of the place. Minutes pass like hours but he keeps his eyes peeled, hoping that she'll make an appearance. Sneezing repeatedly, he's certain that Captain Shane is going to murder him for not taking it easy... but it's Elena, he thinks to himself. Even if he had stayed home, there is no way that he would've been able to relax, he'd be edgy, angry and would be no good to anyone in the state he's in. Dropping his eyes for a moment, he feels his stomach churning so hard that he can taste the bile in the back of his throat. When he looks up again, his mouth parts slightly when he sees _her_ walking down the sidewalk with another girl. Not willing to let her get away again, he jumps out of his car and hurries over to her.

When Elena sees him, she stops in her tracks, her eyes darting back and forth between Lucy and the approaching Damon. In shock, she can't seem to make her feet move and before she can take a breath, he's standing in front of her. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" he yells, circling her as he speaks.

"Why are you here?" Elena retorts, her gaze potent enough to level the London Bridge.

"Why do you think?" he asks incredulously. He can tell by how dilated her pupils are that she's high. He knows he needs to get her tested. After all these months of abusing IV drugs, odds aren't in her favor. He didn't need Enzo to confirm his suspicions. He knows that she would never willingly have started taking drugs, let alone IV heroin or whatever it is that she's been using.

"Just who do you think you are? I'm not your property."

"Get your ass in my car before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you myself."

She's all set to rip him a new one but when she looks into his big blue eyes, her protest dies on her lips. Seeing how Lucy conveniently disappeared, Elena loses her fight and follows him to the car. Once he has her safely buckled in, he shifts into gear and after sharing a look with her, he steps on the gas and drives away.

* * *

With Enzo's words playing heavily on his mind and having seen the needle marks on her arms, he knows that he needs to do this. Not only for his sake but more importantly for hers. If she would test positive, she needs to start taking the medications. Although the mere thought of her testing positive scares the bejesus out of him, not knowing scares him even more so if that's even possible. All he wants to do is take her into his arms and tell her that everything is going to be okay but he somehow resists the urge. When he thinks about what they, the Lockwood's, did to her, it makes his blood boil. One way or another, he will make them pay for doing this to the woman that owns his heart, _who will always own his heart._

After turning off the engine, he walks around to her side of the car. Pulling the door open, he leans in and unbuckles her seatbelt then offers his hand. She stares at it for a moment then realizing it's futile to resist, she lets him help her out of the vehicle. Again it takes every ounce of self restraint inside of him not to wrap an arm around her. Instead he takes her hand in his and leads her into the building. Even if she won't let him hold her ever again, he vows to himself that somehow, someway, he'll help her to get clean. Although the mere thought of not being with her hurts like a son of a bitch, Damon promises himself that he'll do whatever he has to do, law abiding or not to keep her safe.. _even if that means saying goodbye._

Once he registers her, they sit down in one of the waiting room chairs till they call her name to come back. "I need to know that you're okay, Elena."

Elena doesn't say a word when she drops her eyes to where his hand is still holding hers firmly yet gently. In truth, she wants to know too. If she is infected by now, she would hate herself even more if she unknowingly passed the virus to someone else. But that said, she doesn't know how she could hate herself anymore than she already does. Never in her wildest imagination did she ever think that she'd end up homeless and addicted to heroin of all things. When her family died, she remembers whispering to her dying father that she'd make him proud. There's nothing about her for him to be proud of, not now, not anymore.

Too lost in thought, she doesn't hear her name called. It's only when Damon tugs on her hand do she know that it's zero hour. Blowing out a breath of air, she stands up and lets him lead her to a room. Damon explains how she nearly died not all that long ago from an overdose and that he knows she's using again. He also mentions an HIV test. When the nurse glances at Elena, she nods. The nurse gets a form to have her sign the consent then moments later a phlebotomist shows up to take some blood. The nurse gives her a cup so they can do a drug screen on her urine. She hands the specimen to the nurse then lays back down on the gurney closing her eyes, not wanting to look at him anymore.

Damon sits in the chair in the curtained off room and stares at her. As soon as the nurse comes back, Damon asks her how long it will take to get results for the HIV test. She explains that usually takes one to three days. Seeing that Elena is starting to get a little shaky, the nurse hooks up an IV to get her some fluid. After examining her, the doctor gives her a prescription for Methadone. It's commonly used to treat opioid addiction. He tells Damon how he wants her to take it. Although he's hopeful, a part of him knows that Elena isn't yet in the right frame of mind to seek rehab. If she were, she wouldn't have run away from the hospital in the first place. As soon as she's given her discharge instructions, Damon takes her hand and leads her back to his car. They stop at a pharmacy to fill her prescription and then he takes her back to his apartment. By now, between his cold and level of exhaustion, he's about ready to collapse himself but he's afraid to sleep for fear that she'll run again. He shows her to his bedroom and after giving her one of the pills, he pulls the door shut behind him. Too tired to move, he sinks down and leans back against it. Having no idea what will happen when he's not here to watch her, Damon drops his face into his hands. His mind too busy to sleep so he just stretches out his legs and and tries to remember the good times.

* * *

As soon as he shuts the door, Elena reaches into her pocket and pulls out the pills that Lucy gave her. Walking into the bathroom, she throws them in her mouth and swallows them down with a glass of water. After washing her face, she walks back into his room. Although she doesn't understand it, she feels surprisingly calm here. It's almost like there's a familiarity to the place but yet she doesn't really remember it either. Noticing some pictures displayed on top of his dresser, she walks over to have a look. She recognizes Damon in one but not the two guys that are in the picture with him. All three of them are smiling and wearing the same Avenged Sevenfold tee shirts. She has to wonder if maybe they went to a concert or something. Shrugging her shoulders, she gasps when she sees one of Damon and a girl that's the exact copy of her. But it can't be her can it? Surely she'd remember wouldn't she? Feeling a sense of melancholy begin to burn inside, Elena picks up the picture and runs her finger over his face and then hers. No it can't be her, it's the pills, she's seeing things, that's it, she's imagining it. Putting it down, she walks over to the bed and crawls in. Even when she closes her eyes, she can't seem to push him out of her mind.

When she stirs a little while later, she looks at the clock, it's only been about an hour since she laid down. Rolling over in bed, the first thing she sees is his blue eyes staring at her. "Well that's not creepy at all?" she snaps, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. Getting up, she hurries into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Excuse me?" Damon asks, twisting the doorknob. The fact that she locked it makes it all the more frustrating. But at least he knows where she is so he takes a few deep breaths then adds, "I'm going to make you something to eat. Will you come to the kitchen when you're done?"

"Yeah," she says, staring at the door from where she's sitting on the toilet seat. As soon as she joins him in the kitchen, Damon knows she's high. Her pupils are dilated and she's acting a little loopy. Rather than make a scene and yell at her, he sits her down and hands her plate of bacon, eggs and a couple of pieces of jellied toast. Not hungry himself and with his nose running and feeling feverish, he pulls a bottle of Sprite out of the fridge and then sits down beside her. Pulling out his phone, he finds some pictures of the two of them and shows her. Again, she looks at them as if she's looking at a stranger, Damon can see no hint of recognition in her eyes. Although his heart is in pieces, he can't break down, not now, not ever, not if he's going to help her. Rather than say anything, she quickly finishes her food and then disappears down the hall, locking herself in his bedroom.

Still too afraid to go to sleep for fear she'll take off, Damon once again parks himself on the other side of his bedroom door. Leaning his head back, he closes his eyes but he's too tense to sleep. All he can think about is keeping her safe and secure. But he also knows that he can't keep his job and watch her 24/7 either. He's going to have to come up with some sort of plan but he also knows that she won't tolerate having a babysitter as it were. With so many questions and so few answers, Damon feels helpless.

* * *

 _"You're hurting me," she yells as the monster tightens the straps on her restraints. He has her tied to the bed, the syringe clamped between his teeth. All she can do is stare at it. She wants it desperately and as much as she hates herself, she'll do anything to get it, no matter what. With a sinister smile on his face, he presses her into the mattress. Closing her eyes, she grimaces because it hurts. He bites down hard on her sensitive flesh, hard enough that blood begins to pool around his teeth marks. Looking at her, she sees her own blood staining his lips. With a demonic look on his face, he repeats it, inflicting as much pain as he can. When she starts to scream, he reels back, punching hard enough for her to lose consciousness._

Hearing her screams, Damon's heart starts pounding hard and fast. Sick with worry, he frantically tries to open his bedroom door. Upset and freaking out himself, he hurries to his tool drawer to get a screwdriver. Although his hands are shaky, he somehow manages to get the door open. Her agonized cries tear at his very soul. As quietly as he can so as not to startle her, he starts to pet her cheek. For whatever reason, she rolls over and quiets down. His own stamina is waning quickly so he grabs the extra pillow off of the bed and lays beside her. Despite the overwhelming fatigue he feels, the maelstrom inside of his mind simply won't let up. Shifting to face her, he gently strokes her hand and then he wispily strokes her cheek. Sighing heavily, he takes her hand in his. After kissing the base of her thumb, he finally lets his eyes drift shut.

* * *

Upon waking up the next morning, Elena swallows the last pill that Lucy slipped her. But she knows that her body is going to need something soon. Maybe those pills that the doctor gave her yesterday will help her get by till she can lose him. She knows that she'll need money too or she'll have to engage in... When she walks around to the other side of the bed, she notices him laying on the floor. A little rankled, she kicks his foot hard enough to jar him awake. Lurching upright a startled Damon immediately jumps to his feet.

"Seriously?" she snaps. "You've been in here all night?"

"I didn't want you to leave."

"You're not my keeper."

"Someone has to be," he snaps back, stopping himself when he realizes that she's baiting him. Since they were all but living together, Damon shows her the shower and gives her some clean clothes. Because she's lost so much weight, they're too big for her but at least they're clean and not falling off of her tiny frame. After he dresses, he takes her out for breakfast and hands her one of the pills the doctor gave him. Greedily she takes it, swallowing down quickly with a big swallow of her coffee. Once they're done, Damon pays the bill and then leads her back to his car. Since he can't go to school, he drives down to the station.

Even with the pill Damon gave her, she feels her body beginning to revolt for lack of heroin. And yet.. when they walk inside police headquarters, she doesn't feel as freaked out as she thought she would. It's not as awkward or even weird. As they walk through the building, Elena notices people looking up, giving her sympathetic smiles which infuriates her.

Once they get to Shane's department, he leads her to her desk, pointing out the pictures that she has stuck on the cork board that's on one side of her little cubicle. It's as if she's looking at a ghost. It's certainly not her or at least it's not her anymore. Damon notices that she's a little jumpy nor does he miss the light sheen of sweat that's glaring off of her forehead. Taking a breath, he gets up from his desk. Offering his hand, she takes it albeit reluctantly because she is getting rather impatient with his incessant hovering.

With a firm grip, he leads her to Matt's lab. After whispering to him to cue up the hospital tape, Damon tells her to watch the screen. Enthralled, she watches the guy with hoodie lift a woman out of the car. It's only when the camera accidentally catches a glimpse of her face, that her mouth falls open. He carries her into the building and then comes back outside, his sunglasses covering his eyes. Tilting her head, she touches his face on the screen. Closing her eyes she can almost hear his voice telling her, _"Keep breathing, sweetheart, don't give up."_

Watching her like a hawk, Damon is certain she remembers something. Determined to bring hell down on everyone who had a hand in this, he asks, "Do you know him?"

"I.. I don't know," she replies. Although he's vaguely familiar, she isn't quite sure what to make of it. After watching the film a couple of times, Damon decides to take her to one other place. With her hand firmly in his, he takes her to the morgue. Walking over to one of the assistants, he tells him which body they want to view. With a nod, Henry opens the cooler and slides the body out. Before they can look at it, Damon feels a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he sighs when he sees Captain Shane. Pulling Damon aside, he asks him if he's had any sleep at all because he looks a little like death himself. Unwilling to take his eyes off of Elena, he just shakes his head back and forth.

"Hello Elena," Captain Shane says, eyeing her with scrutiny. She turns to meet his gaze but quickly turns away when Henry comes back to tell them that they can view the body now. All three of them follow him into the room. As soon as she sees it, Elena takes several steps back. Transfixed, she can't make herself turn away.

When Damon pulls the sheet back, her eyes focus in on the distinctive yet familiar tattoo. Her mind is screaming on the inside but when she feels Damon pull her into his arms... only then does she realize that she's screaming out loud.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. I love you dearly, more than I can say._

 _A huge debt of thanks to all of you. You make want to continue to do better and write more. Thank you._

 _Chapter title: 'Mad World' by Gary Jules._

 _Be safe and have a fabulous day or evening, wherever you may be in the world. Thank you all again._


	9. Fox On The Run

After sharing a look with Captain Shane, Damon wraps an arm around her shoulders and leads her out of the police station. Once he has her secured in his car, he skirts the hood and jumps behind the wheel driving directly back to his place. Whenever he has to stop at a red light, his eyes start to drift shut till she startles him awake with a jab. Glancing over at her, he can see that she's in a bad way too. She can't sit still, she's clenching her hands and rocking back and forth in the seat. Since there's nothing he can do for her till they get home, he continues driving, relieved when he finally stops the vehicle. Feeling like hell, Damon drags himself out of the car and then helps her out, linking his fingers with hers as they walk into the house.

It's quite obvious to him that she's needing something. She's pale, her skin is clammy, a light sheen of sweat is breaking out on her forehead. Damon can feel the fine tremor in her hands. Not wanting to leave the Methadone out for her to take at will, he goes into his bedroom to get her one. Stopping in the kitchen, he takes a bottle of water out of the fridge and then goes back to her. Taking the seat beside her on the couch, Damon extends his open palm for her to take the pill. Without meeting his eyes, she takes it from him and swallows it down. Judging by the visceral reaction she had to the man's corpse, Damon is certain that she's run into him before. When his throat starts to tickle, he breaks into a coughing jag then excuses himself to get a tissue. Covering his mouth, he coughs up a wad of greenish yellow stuff and after blowing his nose, he tosses it in the waste basket.

After washing his hands, he sits back down, cautiously laying his palm on her thigh. Her eyes immediately snap to his. "Do you want to talk about it, Elena? I mean it seems pretty likely that you've run into the man before." Shaking her head back and forth, she pulls away. _No she hasn't seen that man before_ but she is feeling unnerved by a growing sense of dread that is beginning to dwell and burn in her mind.

Stung by the rejection, Damon nevertheless presses forward. "You know you can talk to me. We used to tell each other everything."

"I don't know who he is!" Jumping up, she starts to pace the length of his living room, her skin crawling as the need for heroin begins to burn out of control. Without realizing it, she starts rubbing the palm of one hand back and forth over the soft spot of her inner elbow. Biting down on her lower lip, she knows he's not just going to let her go. When that man's body drops into her head again, she shivers. She sensed not only fear but familiarity too... She doesn't know why, they're just her nightmares, that's all. And then for a moment, she's held captive by something else entirely.

 _"You know it's not that easy sweetheart," he smirks, lowering his zipper. After he kicks off his trousers, he stalks towards her. Although she tries to keep her knees locked, he's much too strong for her. "You want it, you have to work for it." Reeling back, he slaps her hard. Her nightmare is just beginning when he picks up the needle. She can see the amber colored ambrosia that she craves with such intensity that her heart starts to skyrocket. Using the needle, he taunts her, jabbing it in and out but never giving her what she needs. Her vision bleary from withdrawal, her fear begins to burn out of control when his tattoo appears to come to life, the snake's fangs, dripping her blood. Letting her legs fall open, she closes her eyes in a futile attempt to block it out._

Startled out of her reverie when she feels his hand on her forearm, Elena stares at it. Was that real? No, no it couldn't be, surely she'd remember an animal like that. It's all in her imagination, it has to be. Letting out a sob, she pulls away from Damon. Although he tries to offer her some comfort, she brushes him off. Struggling to keep her tears at bay, she starts to pace again. Feeling like a caged animal, it's like the walls are closing in on her.

"Elena, please calm down. The pill needs time to work."

"I don't want to talk about it. I don't know why I was screaming?" she snaps, her fuse getting shorter by the moment.

"Are you sure that's all it was?" Damon asks, not believing her for a moment. He wishes he knew why she is being so secretive. Dropping his face into his hands, Damon starts to cough again. His skin is hot and sweaty making him feel like death warmed over.

Rolling her eyes, she stops biting her fingernails for a moment. Looking at him intently, she huffs angrily, "Yes."

Knowing that he is nearing collapse, Damon scrubs his hand down his face and then gets up. "Listen, Elena, I feel like crap. Do you think we can call a truce for the night? I don't want to fight with you."

She knows that she'll be able to run as soon as he goes to sleep so she forces a smile then sits down beside him on the couch. "You really do look like shit. Maybe you should go to bed for awhile?"

"I'll just lay here," he says, lifting his legs onto the couch.

"If you're worried about me leaving, I won't," Elena screams, lying through her teeth.

Damon stares at her for several minutes not quite sure whether or not he can trust her. Inside he knows that he's being foolish because she'll do anything and say anything to get the drug but his body is on the brink of rebellion so he nods and gets up. Taking her hand, he pulls her into the bedroom with him. He locks the door in hopes that he'll wake up if she tries to unlock it.

"Seriously?"

"Humor me." His chest hurts and his head aches from coughing. After kicking off his jeans, he pull his tee shirt over his head and then he crawls into bed. With his eyes fixed on her, he stares until his body can take no more. Soon his eyes fall closed of their own accord and pull him into a sound sleep.

 _"Damon, it's beautiful." Her mouth is slightly parted as she runs her fingers over the shiny silver and diamond necklace._

 _"It's a David Yurman infinity knot. It's meant to say that I'll always love you, Elena."_

 _"Damon?" she whispers. Leaning forward, she joins their lips in a quick kiss. Taking it from her hands, he fastens it around her beautiful gazelle like neck. Fingering the pendant, Damon runs his thumb over the top, a huge smile forming on his face._

 _"What?"_

 _Dropping his lips to her ear, he whispers huskily, "I'm going to make love to you now and you're only going to wear this."_

 _They both quickly divest themselves of their clothes. Instead of getting into it immediately, they relax in front of the fireplace. With Elena sitting between his spread legs, Damon wraps his arms around her, holding her flush against him. Dropping his face into her hair, he breathes her in, unable to imagine anything ever being better than this. The fire is casting a reddish orange glow in the room. The wood pops and crackles as the flames consume it making the room feel incredibly romantic. He presses a kiss to the top of her head and squeezes her a little closer. Tilting his head, he breaks out in a smile when he sees the smile that's lighting up her lovely face._

 _"You're so beautiful, Elena." He brushes his lips against her ear then begins to blaze a trail of heat along the curve of her jaw and down her gazelle like neck. Her moans are music to his ears. She shifts slightly so she can look into his hypnotic blue eyes. His own closing when Elena gently cradles his cheek with her hand. Raising her other one, she uses it to pull his mouth to hers. Their lips mold and slide against each other, melding together so perfectly that it feels like they were made for each other. With one hand holding her firmly against him, Damon uses the other to skim along her bare skin. When a mewl escapes her mouth, Damon thrusts his tongue inside, tasting her, loving her. As want turns into need, Damon feels her shift and in the next moment, he's pulling her on top of him. With a wink, she starts to massage his Adonis-like chest with her fingertips. She starts to lick and toy with his nipples, gently biting and tugging before soothing the sting with her tongue. While her mouth is engaged, she runs her nails down his abdomen, eliciting goosebumps._

 _Lifting himself up, he tenderly lays her on her back before latching onto one of her dusky pink nipples. While he suckles the one, his fingers tweak the other, stretching and pulling it till it's erect. Letting go of the one, he pulls the neglected one into his mouth. Damon suckles, tugs and teases her breasts._

 _"That feels so damn good," she pants, running her nails through his messy locks as his mouth works magic on her body._

 _"I want all of you," Damon whispers, staring down at her reverentially. The lust, want and desire he sees matches his own that is raging out of control._

 _"Yes."_

 _Elena tightens her grip in his hair, using it for leverage to pull his mouth back to hers. The kiss is so powerful that he can feel the tingle all the way to his toes. Pulling apart, Damon feels a surge of lust when he sees her biting down on her bottom lip. Their hungry stares echo each other. Slowly and with purpose, he gently spread her thighs causing her body to erupt in chill bumps. Staring at her insanely gorgeous body with dark and heated eyes, Damon unwittingly licks his lips slowly and seductively._

 _"I want you inside of me, Damon," she breathes, her thighs clenching together._

 _Once more Damon gently spreads them, his lips finding hers before he begins to slither down her body, dragging his mouth along her smooth skin as he does. His own lust spikes when he hears the delicious sounds she's making when he runs his tongue along the length of her folds. Bathing her heated flesh with his lips and mouth, he uses his tongue to swirl her clit. Feeling her hips begin to buck and ride it, he moves lower, pushing it inside of her. He smiles against her core when he feels Elena weave her fingers into his hair and press his face flush against her._

 _With his erection painfully hard, he slithers up her body and takes her lips, letting her taste herself. Lowering his hand, he encircles his length and then sinks inside of her, stretching her gloriously judging by the way her lips part and her eyes fall closed. When he's fully seated, he stills, once more taking her lips in a languid kiss._

 _He moans aloud when he feels her body begin to tighten and clench around him. Feeling her begin to buck her hips, Damon starts to move slowly and torturously. When her body bows, her voluptuous breasts press firmly against his chest, the friction delightful as her nipples rub against his chiseled body. Completely enslaved in this moment, to Damon, it's like only they exist. Their whimpers, grunts and the sound of flesh meeting flesh form a delightful symphony. Damon would like nothing better than to listen to the sounds of their lovemaking night after night after night._

 _Feeling his belly begin to coil and heat up, he knows that he's close to what promises to be an explosive climax. When he hits that spot inside of her, she succumbs, detonating spectacularly going by the way her body arches and the lilt of her voice when his name leaves her lips as if in prayer. Dropping his eyes to hers, he fights to keep them open while he chases after his own release. With his chest heaving, he reaches it, his body bursting into a flurry of white heat and wildfire. Completely spent, he buries his face in the space between her neck and shoulder. She clings to him, her legs still loosely wrapped around his middle. When his body relaxes, he raises up, his lips claiming hers in a tender kiss._

 _Both exhausted, they fall asleep in each other's arms. Waking up a short time later, Damon finds himself alone, both Elena and the necklace gone._

Flying upright in bed, Damon wakes up in a coughing fit. It feels like he's going to cough up a lung. When he finally clears the wad of phlegm from this chest, he collapses back onto the pillows. It's then that he opens his eyes, finding the bedroom door wide open and Elena gone. Remembering his dream, he rolls over and pulls the drawer open, breathing a sigh of relief that the necklace is still there. He picks it up for a moment to run it through his fingers. But with a bigger challenge looming, he forces himself to get up. After calling her name aloud several times without a response, he searches every room. His fears are confirmed when he finds his apartment empty. Blaming himself for not trusting his instincts, a feverish Damon drops onto the couch. Raking his sweaty hair off of his forehead, he tries to think of what he should do but he's still feverish and not functioning on all cylinders so he does the only thing that pops into his mind.

Forcing himself to his feet, he goes to find his cellphone. As soon as he texts Brady and Bonnie, he drags himself to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Sitting down at the kitchen table, he drops his forehead into his hands. With his chest rattling, he gets up to see if he has any cold medicine in the cupboard. Of course not, he thinks to himself when he finds it void of anything useful. Leaning back against the counter, he stares straight ahead at nothing really. He could kick himself for believing for even a millisecond that she wouldn't try to leave. Walking into his bedroom to see if he has anything in the bathroom cupboard, he happens to notice the top drawer of his dresser open. Shaking his head back and forth, he hurries over. Seeing the keepsake box laying open, he tears the drawer apart but it's gone. The gold watch that his grandpa gave him before he died is gone.

 _"Damon, grandpa is very sick but he wants to see you."_

 _"But I'm scared daddy," he whispers, his eyes darting towards the bed and back to his fathers._

 _"I know you're scared son but your grandpa wants to say goodbye to you."_

 _"Where is he going?"_

 _"He's an old man, Damon. I know it hurts but he's dying."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"Damon, everyone dies. Some people live to be old like your grandpa and others die young. Do you want me to go with you?"_

 _Nodding, Elijah Salvatore takes his son's hand and leads him over to the bedside. He lifts Damon up and then sits at the foot of the bed himself, tears hinting as his father gives Damon his prized possession, his gold watch that his own father gave to him. Damon looks at it as if it's the most precious thing in the world. Holding it with reverence against his chest, Damon lays down beside his grand dad. Burying his face against his side, Damon closes his eyes and snuggles against his grandpa when he starts singing him a song._

Feeling shocked and betrayed, Damon nearly loses his footing. Picking up his phone again, he makes another call.

 _"Officer Salvatore, how can I help you?"_

"Enzo?.. She ran."

* * *

Walking down the streets, her mind is a mess. Her body is rebelling, pain and nausea twisting and turning her stomach. Shoving her hands into her pockets, she feels the warm metal of the antique gold watch. She sees the 18K stamp on the case. Deep inside she knows she shouldn't have taken it. Her regret is short lived however when she justifies her actions by telling herself that it's his own fault because he should've had it locked up. Needing the drug more than she needs food or water, she happens to stumble upon a pawn shop and goes inside.

* * *

Hanging up the phone, Enzo tucks it back in his pocket. Since he makes good money, he has a nice sized apartment. It has three bedrooms, a nice deck overlooking a park, a large kitchen and a comfortably sized living, dining area. On his walls are reproductions of his favorite movie posters. They're framed and prominently displayed. He has Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Dark Knight and the 1931 original version of King Kong. On another wall is his bar and liquor cabinet. He also has a wine cooler tucked under the warm toned Oak bar top.

Enzo doesn't know what it is about _that_ girl. For some reason, unbeknownst to him, he finds that he already cares about her. He doesn't like to think of her running on the streets where she's an easy mark for anyone with a stash and a needle. Surely some of them know she's a cop and would like nothing more than to exact revenge. There's no doubt in his mind that Lucy is fond of her too. She told him that she kissed Elena. He'd never admit it to her of course but he sort of envies the ease at which he saw the two women bonding. Sighing, he walks over to his liquor cabinet and pours himself a shot of bourbon. After swallowing it down, he looks up when he hears the door creak. Although he knows that he's going to have to go to look for the girl, he takes a moment to give _his favorite girl_ a kiss.

"Listen love, as much as I'd rather stay here and entertain you, I have to go look for the cop."

"Elena?"

"Who else?" he says, pausing when his phone starts chirping. Pulling it out of his pocket, he answers it. "This is Lorenzo."

 _"Enzo, it's Bubba. There's a new girl in my bar. She's trying to hook up with a dealer. I thought you'd want to know."_

"You take him aside and tell him that if he touches her or sells anything to her, he's dead... I'm on my way."

 _"Will do Enzo."_

Blowing out a breath, he latches onto Lucy's hand, explaining everything to her as they hurry towards the stairwell in their quest to bring save Elena from herself.

* * *

As soon as he hears the doorbell ring, Damon hurries to answer it. Pale and sweaty with flushed cheeks, Damon stands aside so they can come in. After closing the door, he nearly does a face plant when he stumbles, landing on his knees instead. Brady and Bonnie each take an arm and help him to his feet. "Look we have to find her," he pleads, his eyes glazed and dull.

"You're not going anywhere. You'll end up in the hospital too if you don't take care of yourself," Bonnie scolds. Shaking her head at his stubbornness, she walks through his bedroom and into the bathroom. She digs until she finds the lavender bubble bath that she bought when she had to stay here for a few days when a water main broke in her place. Once she turns on the water, she pours a few capfuls in and then walks out to prod him to come take a hot bath. With Brady's help, they get him into the tub. Before Bonnie went to the police academy, she worked as a nurse's aide so it's not like she hasn't seen her share of men's anatomy. Damon is too out of it to care anyway. After they let him soak in the hot water for about a half an hour, they dry him off and put some clean pajamas on him. Although he starts to fuss, the protest dies on his lips when she pulls the covers over him. Already asleep, they decide that she should stay here in case Elena comes back while Brady goes out to look for her. They close the door softly and then go to the kitchen. Before Brady goes, Bonnie makes a fresh pot of coffee and some sandwiches. Sitting down, she picks up her cup and sips it slowly.

Noticing how she looks like she's miles away, Brady asks, "What's on your mind?"

"Why didn't you tell him about that Trevor guy, you know his possible connection to the Lockwood clan?"

"Because you and I both know that we never would've been able to keep him in bed if we did," he adds, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You're right," Bonnie agrees, then takes a bite of her sandwich.

* * *

Having left Lucy outside to watch the front entrance, Enzo strolls in through the back. Looking around, he hears her before he sees her. He can't help but chuckle a little at the way she's complaining that he won't deal with her. He stands back to watch her for a few minutes, curious to see how far she'll go and if the dealer values his life enough to heed his warning. When he notices her beginning to unbutton her blouse, he approaches the table. As soon as the man sees him, a look of fear washes over features.

"I didn't give her anything," he stutters, backing out of the booth.

"You won't ever give anything to her. She's mine and I take care of what's mine. Are we clear?" he asks, the pitch of his voice low and lethal sounding. The man nods animatedly and then makes a bee line for the door, his progress stopped when he slips in some spilled beer and lands flat on his face. Amused, Enzo starts to laugh.

Incensed, Elena's mouth drops open as she makes a move to go after the guy. But in weakened state, Enzo easily latches onto her. Dragging her out of the bar kicking and screaming, he swats her ass then throws her into the backseat and jumps in behind her. After slamming the door shut, he tells Lucy to drive. Withdrawing badly, Elena is shaking and curls up as chills wrack her body. As soon as Lucy pulls away from the curb, he reaches into the center counsel and pulls out a little bag. With firm hands, he pulls out a needle. He squeezes her skinny arm tight enough to make a vein bulge. Their eyes meet for a millisecond before he pokes the needle in and injects the weak dose of heroin. Closing her eyes, Elena relaxes into the seat cushion, pleasure surging through her with each stuttering thrum of her heart. Although he knows that she's too gone to pay attention, he says aloud, "You and I are going to have a talk. I can't quite work when I have to babysit you now can I?"

When Lucy looks over her shoulder for a moment, they share a look then Enzo settles into the seat and drops his head back, wondering what the hell he's going to do with this girl.

* * *

 _Huge thank you to Eva._

 _Hugest thanks to all of you too. I can't say it enough. You are all the greatest DE fans. Your support means so much to me. It's hard to put it into words._

 _Chapter title: 'Fox On The Run' by Sweet._

 _My friend 'deepwater1978' has a compelling story, "Love Me Like You Do". I'm sure she'd be thrilled to hear from some of you._

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts. This is a painful story but I promise you that the dawn will come._

 _Have a safe and fabulous day and or evening, depending where you are in this big world. Thank you all again._


	10. Dancing In The Dark

Barely on the edge between wake and sleep, Damon raises his head from his pillow when he hears his phone vibrate against the wooden top of his bedside table. Not wanting to answer it, he drops his face into the pillow, laying still for a few seconds. When it doesn't stop, he sighs and answers it. "Hello?" he croaks, his voice hoarse and unrecognizable.

 _"Salvatore is that you?" Enzo asks, unable to hide the smile on his face._

"Yeah," he mumbles. Covering his eyes with his forearm, Damon lays on his back and since he knows the accent, he waits for the guy to speak.

 _"You sound a little worse for wear. I'll make this quick. I have your girl."_

"Is she okay?" Damon rasps, raising up on his forearm.

 _"She's okay. Maybe I'm getting soft but why don't you let her stay with me till you're feeling better at least?" Enzo asks, smiling when Lucy gives him an agreeable nod._

"You'll keep her safe?" Although he doesn't like the idea even a little bit, he knows that he's pretty much caught between a rock and a hard place. He's not naïve, he knows she'll take off again as soon as she sees an opening. Between being sick and work, as much as it pains him to admit, he doesn't have time to babysit her.

 _"You have my word," Enzo tells him sincerely._

"She probably pawned it for drugs by now but if you find an antique gold watch, it was my grandfather's. If on the million to one chance that she still has it on her, I'd appreciate getting it back."

 _"If she still has it, I'll snag it for you. But you need to call off your buddy. He got a little over aggressive at the bar shall we say?"_

"Thanks Enzo, I owe you big."

 _"Nah, don't worry about that. Even though none dare cross me, I don't want to have a cop killed on my turf."_

"I'll get Brady to back off. You have to realize that we all care about her deeply. Please just keep an eye on her?

 _"I'm a man of my word, Officer Salvatore. Now why don't you rest that pretty little head of yours," Enzo adds then clicks off the phone before Damon can reply._

He gives Lucy's hand a squeeze and leans in for a heady kiss. "Love, I know you like having your own place but with her here, it would help a lot if you'd stay too. Someone needs to watch her while I'm out."

"Of course, Enzo. My man is such a sweetie underneath the bluster and bravado," she teases. Throwing her arms around his neck, she joins their lips in a heated kiss. Glancing over at Elena, he sees that she's down for the count so he takes Lucy's hand and walks her backwards into his bedroom, closing the door behind them.

* * *

Despite his protestations, Bonnie insists on taking Damon to the doctor. Turns out he had a bacterial infection. He prescribed some antibiotics and gave him a slip to be off of work for several days. Although he still isn't at full strength, he knows that he needs to get back to work or he'll lose his mind sitting around worrying about Elena. Enzo did call one other time to tell him that he shouldn't worry but it's impossible not to, not when the woman he loves is nowhere in sight. Sometimes in his darkest hours, he doesn't believe that he'll ever get her back.

Even though he has a bad feeling about leaving Elena with Enzo and that he should be the one to take care of her, it just isn't possible. Not when he has a 104 temperature at its highest and was delirious himself if Bonnie is to be believed, he physically was not up to the task. Although he has yet to understand why, he finds that he trusts Enzo when he says that he'd keep an eye on her.

As much as he wants to go after her right this minute, Enzo also had a point when he said that Damon had a job to do. At least he knows that she has someone watching out for her. The captain was great about giving him sick time off but Damon knows that he won't tolerate him burning the candle on both ends again. Damon really didn't need the doctor to lecture him about taking care of himself. He knows that he got sick because he allowed himself to get so run down that he couldn't fight off an infection.

Turning into the school's parking lot, Damon finds a spot and then parks his car. Back into his high school kid persona, he reaches into the backseat to pull out his backpack. He jogs up the steps where he's immediately greeted by several of the guys including Brady who almost imperceptibly nods his head towards the bank of lockers. When he scans the premises, he sees Kai with an arm thrown over Bonnie's shoulders, pulling her in for a kiss. Damon knows that Bonnie is great at her job but he hates that she has to kiss that lowlife. Sucking it up, he walks farther down the hall, stopping at his locker where Andie is waiting for him. Forcing a smile, he cradles her cheeks and kisses her soundly, hard enough that he hopes she'll back off for a bit. After he takes a couple of books out, he shoves his backpack inside then locks it up. With an arm around Andie's neck, he walks her to the gym and then hurries down the hall to attend English class.

Bored to tears as Mrs. Fell lectures goes into a detailed analysis of Macbeth, Damon lays his cheek in his hand. Glancing to his left, he notices Kai doodling on a scrap of paper before handing it off to one of the football jocks, Randy Forbes, that's sitting across from him. Immediately his interest is piqued and as soon as class lets out, Damon follows Randy, keeping a good distance away so he doesn't give himself away. His curiosity is even further piqued when he disappears into a stairwell that Damon never noticed before. He counts to five and then darts into the stairwell too. It's the basement and it's damp and musty smelling. When he hears voices, he tiptoes farther till he reaches the boiler room. Hiding behind some boxes, he watches as Randy gives something to Markos who is the maintenance man. Once cash is exchanged, Randy leaves while Markos opens up the envelope and pours the pills into his hand. He plays with them for several seconds, a sinister smile on his face, before putting them back in the envelope and pocketing them. Damon pulls in tighter to his hiding place when he starts walking towards him. As luck would have it, he follows Randy out of the room. As soon as Damon hears retreating footsteps, he hurries out of the basement to look for Brady.

Unable to find him, he texts both him and Bonnie to tell them to meet at his place after school. Although he'd like nothing more than a good stiff drink, school kids aren't old enough to go into bars. Should they be seen in this neighborhood, it'll likely blow their carefully crafted covers. By the time he heads back to his locker after his last class, Damon sighs when he sees Andie waiting for him again. He hasn't missed the way she's been watching him like a hawk. While in character, he hasn't given her any reason to be jealous other than the Bonnie incident a couple of weeks ago.

"I've missed you," she says, brushing a strand of hair out of his eyes.

"I was sick with 104 fever, I really couldn't be here."

"I know that but you could have texted me," she pouts.

"I was delirious, Andie. I was in no shape to text anyone."

"You owe me an orgasm," she whispers, licking her lips salaciously.

"I have some things to do today but after school tomorrow we'll go out okay?" Damon finally agrees to get her off of his back. He needs to get home so he can meet with his friends.

"You promise?"

"I promise," he assures her. After giving her a fierce kiss, he smiles then disappears out of the school's front door. Damon hurries home, grateful that he didn't hit many red lights on the way. He steps into his house just before Brady and Bonnie come walking down the hall. Letting them in, he hands them each a beer then he drops onto the couch. "I saw Randy Forbes giving Markos what looked like pills today."

"Really? That means Markos is in the loop but he's not the big bad," Bonnie mentions. "Where did Randy get them?"

"I saw Kai hand them off in English class. Sure we have enough to arrest Kai right now but I want his supplier," Damon adds, taking a long pull from his beer bottle.

Looking around, Bonnie eyes Brady then turns to Damon. "Have you heard anything about Elena?"

"No, I haven't heard anything from her since she took off. That said..., there are eyes on her but I don't want to get into it."

"Okay then. There is something you should know about that guy who was offed near the school," Brady starts to say. When Damon sits at the edge of his seat, Brady continues, "He used to work as a bouncer at one of Richard Lockwood's nightclubs. It's that the strip joint in Chandler that Mason Lockwood manages."

"Didn't that place get raided a few months ago?" Damon asks, finishing off his drink.

"Yeah, I looked into that. They didn't find anything out of line so the place is still open."

"When did you find all of this out?"

"Right after the body turned up," Bonnie admits, her eyes darting over to Brady for a second before turning back to Damon.

"You knew all this time and you didn't tell me? I thought we were all friends, partners whatever here," he snaps, flying out of his seat to get himself another bottle of beer.

"Damon, calm down. You know as well as we do that you wouldn't have let it go. And as sick as you were, you didn't need to be chasing around with those lowlifes," Bonnie says, her voice firm and unyielding.

Staring at her for a minute, he sets the bottle down then grabs his jacket. "Where are you going?" Brady asks, taking the last swallow from his own bottle.

"I'm going to talk to Shane. I want to have a few words with Tyler and this time, I won't take no for an answer," Damon retorts. Sucking in a breath, Bonnie sets her bottle down and with Brady in tow, they follow Damon out of the apartment and pile into his car to drive down to police headquarters to have a word with their boss.

* * *

Staring out of her bedroom window, Elena feels good for once. She hasn't had to sell her soul to the devil himself to get drugs. Enzo although he's brusque at times, he so far hasn't demanded anything from her as a price for the drugs or for staying here. Although she feels like she needs more, at least he doesn't let her go into full fledged meltdown before he gives her another shot. Neither he nor Lucy seem to be judgmental when he sticks the needle in her arm. That said, Enzo went absolutely ballistic on her when Lucy told him that she was trying to score a hit from some guy when they were downtown yesterday. He strictly forbade her to make deals on her own, saying most of those dealers are not to be trusted. They often add fillers or poisons to the raw heroin that they sell. Even though she wasn't mad at Lucy for ratting her out, she still didn't like being on the receiving end of one of Enzo's verbal beat downs.

When she sees a crow land on one of the tree branches, it's caw loud, she watches it intently. For whatever reason, it reminds her of Damon. It's strong and self reliant and caring. She knows that crows and ravens are very intelligent. Although she doesn't regret running out on him... she was miserable with him and he with her... still she remembers seeing the pictures of the two of them in his bedroom. It hurts to think about what he may have meant to her so she pushes it away. With the smaller yet regular doses, she finds herself being able to pull together fragments of memories, some of him and others that are too terrifying to dwell on. Mostly she doesn't want to remember but as the bits and pieces continue to bombard her mind, she doesn't know how long she'll be able to push them away. Since Enzo injected her just a short time ago, fatigue starts to weigh on her. Yawning, she crawls into bed and lets her dreams take her where they may.

 _"We're going to try something different tonight," he says, tapping her puckered rear opening with his finger. "You know what you have to do first, sweetheart," he taunts, his sinister smile making her stomach turn._

Awakening in a cold sweat when Lucy drops her lips to hers. Elena snaps her eyes open. "You were having another nightmare," Lucy explains. "The last time I tried to wake you, you struck out, hitting me in the face. That's why I kissed you this time."

"I don't mind," Elena says, her eyes firmly focused on Lucy's. Lucy gives her a wink then gets up just as Enzo comes through the door. By now it's been several hours since she had anything. Taking the hand Lucy offers, they go out into the living room to watch some TV, joining Enzo who inexplicably happens to be home at this hour. Too distracted with need, she stares at a painting on the wall without flinching for a couple of hours. When Lucy's eyes meet Enzo's, he gives her a nod to get a syringe ready for Elena. Having seen enough, Enzo waves his hand in front of her face and then sits down beside her. Once he has her attention, he says, "I think you should try to remember your captivity."

* * *

Storming into Shane's office, Damon pulls a chair out of the way. Presses his palms flat on the desktop, he leans over and demands to have a word with Tyler Lockwood. Leaning back in his chair, Atticus, palms his chin with his hand. "Have a seat Damon," he finally says, not in the least intimidated by the man in front of him.

"I want to talk to Tyler."

"In due time. Now first things first, I'm glad that you're back to work. I also wanted to have a word with you about Elena. What's going on with her?"

"I don't know what she's up to. I had her back but she ran away when I was sick. I haven't seen her since," Damon admits, softening his stance and finally plopping down into the chair.

"You do know that we'll need her testimony about who took her. Right now, with her habit.. any defense attorney worth his salt would tear her apart. You know that, Damon."

"But we know that they took her. They had means, motive and opportunity. Not to mention that Trevor was one of Lockwood's lackies."

"That's all circumstantial, Damon. We need cold, hard facts," Atticus points out, reaching into his drawer, he pulls out a piece of gum and pops it into his mouth. "I'll tell you what, I'll let you talk to Tyler but I will be behind the two way glass. If you cross the line, you'll be out of there before you can blink."

"Okay?" Damon agrees, sensing that Shane isn't quite finished yet. "And?"

"You're going to have to question Elena first. We need to know what she knows and what if anything she says will be able to be used in court."

* * *

Running out to his car, Damon drives downtown, finds a safe place to park his Camaro and then starts walking into different bars to try to find her. With Enzo not answering his phone, Damon really doesn't know where to focus his search. By the time he gives up for the night, it's almost midnight. As soon as he gets home, he showers and then goes straight to bed, letting his dreams take him to a time not so long ago before everything fell to pieces.

 _"Thank you for bringing me here, Damon. The Grand Canyon.. it's simply breathtaking," Elena gushes, her gaze fixed on the stunning scenery in front of her." Deciding to do some hiking, they fall back behind the rest of the group and veer off the well worn trail. Although Damon is aware that there could be rattlesnakes out and about, he still drags her along. When she pulls free, Damon watches as she stoops over to pick a dandelion._

 _"If I had known you love weeds, it would've saved me some money on the rose bouquet I bought for your birthday," Damon laughs. Stooping over, he picks one up and puts it in her hair, tucking it behind her ear and securing it in the weave of her hair._

 _"Thank you, kind sir," she teases, pretending to curtsy._

 _"Of course, milady," he retorts. Taking her hand again, they walk back to the trail and continue their downward trek. Looking over the edge, Elena gasps when she sees the Colorado river roaring over the rapids. With her mouth agape, she points out some rafts that are riding them._

 _"We need to do that sometime," she gasps, watching as they skillfully maneuver their way across the most dangerous parts till they reach calmer waters. Staring at her with wonderment, something stirs inside of Damon. Closing the distance between them, he cradles her cheeks with his palms, pulling her mouth to his. When her lips part, Damon thrusts inside, his tongue dancing around hers. Needing air, he finally lets go. The heaving of her bosom has him completely oblivious to anything but him and her. Taking her hand, he once more leads them off the beaten path. Finding a clearing hidden by some rocks, Damon watches awestruck when she rips her tee shirt over her head. With a lascivious wink, she yanks at his, pulling it off as well. Winding his arms around, he unsnaps her bra, releasing her gorgeous breasts from their fabric prison. Although he's seen them many times, he'll never get over how perfectly they fit in his hands._

 _"I'm crazy about you, Elena. You have to know that."_

 _"I'm a bit fond of you too." Unable to hold back, Damon captures her lips in a mind altering kiss. Laying her down, Damon spreads her legs, situating his face in the apex of her thighs. Using his teeth and tongue and fingers, he licks voraciously, smiling against her flesh when he has her writhing and moaning in short order. He plunges two fingers inside of her hot and tight channel strumming her like the maestro with his Stradivarius. Dropping his mouth to her clit, he sucks and laves it with his tongue. When he bites down gently, he watches her erupt, her insides clenching onto his fingers like a vise grip. Damon is enraptured, completely hypnotized by how beautiful she when she surrenders herself to the throes of passion._

 _"I want you inside of me, Damon."_

 _Bobbing his head up and down, he wraps his hand around satiny steel of his length and uses it to rub up and down her folds, lubricating himself. "Now Damon," she pants, her eyes meeting his. Wanting her desperately, Damon pushes himself inside._

 _Emboldened by the effect he's having on her, Damon pulls out and drives back in, the sensation of being connected to her like this is paradise. Picking up the pace, pressing deeper, harder and faster, Damon gasps when she raises her hips to meet his forward strokes. Feeling her hands running up and down his chest, he growls for her to hang on tight as he drives in even harder. He grun_ _ts loudly when he feels her digging her nails into the curve of his ass, pulling him in even deeper._

" _You feel so damn good," Damon pants, working hard not only for her pleasure but for his own too. Using a little of the Salvatore swagger, he flips them, letting her ride to her heart's desire. He places his hands on her hip and helps her to slide up and down along the long hard length of him. When she throws her head back her breasts lurch forward. Taking full advantage, Damon wraps his lips around one nipple, suckling and nipping, elongating her nipple first on one side and then the other. Taking his hand, he starts to vigorously massage her clit. In the next second, she screams and her body begins to convulse, a beautiful flush washing over her skin at the height of her orgasm. Damon is mesmerized by it. With her body still shuddering, Damon slams into her one more time, his own climax making his heart pound so hard, he almost thinks it's going to stop. "That has to be bad for the heart," he mumbles, his own body still quivering hard._

 _"Why do you think they call it "little death?"_ _Elena laughs, resting her head on his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he holds her impossibly closer because he never wants this to end._

The buzz of his alarm clock awakens him. Throwing his legs over the bed, he stretches his arms above his head and then stumbles into the bathroom still half asleep. Once he's dressed, he grabs a cup of coffee. Although he desperately wants to look for her, the captain won't tolerate him bugging out on the job again so soon. As soon as he steps in the building, Andie is once more waiting for him. How is he ever going to keep putting her off, he thinks to himself. When a water main breaks at the school, he decides to take Andie for lunch. Maybe that will pacify her for awhile. Opening the car door for her, he pushes it closed once she's inside. He tells her to choose. With a nod of his head, he pulls into the parking lot at the Panda Express. Holding the door open, they get in line. She orders a panda bowl with Teriyaki chicken while he orders a meal with Mushroom chicken and angus beef. While she finds a seat, Damon pays for it. Hungry himself, he actually lost about ten pounds while he was sick, he digs in, savoring the flavors as they stimulate his taste buds.

"This is nice Damon. We should do more couple things," she adds, licking the teriyaki sauce off of her lips slowly and seductively.

"I know Andie, but I was sick. Believe me, you wouldn't have wanted it. I was miserable."

"I know but you've never really asked me out until now."

"How about if we do something on Saturday? I don't know, maybe a movie?" Damon suggests, sticking a piece of beef in his mouth with the chopsticks.

"That would be great. Maybe we could do something more fun afterwards?"

"Perhaps," Damon smiles, waggling his brows at her. When he sees her beaming smile, he knows that she won't bug him about it anymore. Of course, now he's stuck taking her on a date. But she's a persistent one and would likely start to ask questions if he didn't act like a hormone charged high school kid. As soon as they finish, he takes her back to the school where her car is parked and then makes a beeline for downtown to try to find Enzo. After parking his car, he tries to call him again, a little surprised when he answers this time.

 _"What do you want Salvatore? I'm not at your beckon call," he snaps, irritated._

"Where is she? I need to see her."

 _"Trust me Damon, you can talk to her but don't try to capture her. I'll get my girl to take her someplace where you can "accidentally" run into her. After telling Damon the address, he hangs up and calls Lucy._

Although his warning rings in Damon's head, he pushes it aside. With the address in hand, he drives over there and parks across the street, jumping out of his car as soon as he sees Elena and another woman walking towards the front entrance of the apartment building. Approaching the girls, he notices that the two women share a look. Latching onto Elena's upper arm, he tells her to get into his car. Knowing it's futile to try to fight with him, she plays along. Caught off guard, Lucy starts to pound on Damon to let her go. Once Elena is safely buckled up in his car, he turns on Lucy, telling her to stay out of it. He gives her a scathing look then jumps into his car and drives away, leaving her standing there with her mouth hanging open. Pulling out her phone she calls Enzo to tell him what just went down.

 _"Don't worry, love. She'll be back in short order," Enzo says, shaking his head cause the cop took off with her anyway despite his warnings to the contrary. Picking up his glass of bourbon, he throws the shot back. He assures Lucy he'll meet her back at his apartment and then hangs up to finish up his business for the day._

Driving home, Damon tries to talk to her but it's pointless. She won't look at him or speak to him. After parking his car, he takes her by the arm again and leads her into his place. It doesn't take rocket science to see that she furious with him. Even though he hates that she's spending time with Enzo, he has to admit that Elena seems more lucid today. "About the guy in the morgue, Elena, the one with the tattoo, Trevor.. have you remembered anything?" He moves to stand beside her so he can see her face.

"I told you once that I don't know who that man is. I've never seen him before," she snaps, lashing out as anger and resentment begin to burn hot inside of her.

"Elena, please, I just want to help you. Can't you see that?"

"No!?"

"Don't you remember anything? That necklace I gave you, the infinity one, I never saw you take it off after I draped it around your neck."

"An infinity necklace? How quaint! Why don't you let me see it, maybe it'll spark a memory?" she retorts, quirking her brows angrily.

"So you can sell it for drug money just like you stole my grandfather's watch?" he lashes out, his nerves raw and frayed.

Caught off guard, a scowl forms on Elena's face. She hadn't given that watch even a cursory thought since she pawned it. Not willing to let him get the upper hand, she fires back, aiming below the belt. "Yeah, I'm more than willing to work it off it right now. Maybe then you'll stop following me?" she sneers, the timbre of her voice lethal in its intensity.

Before he can respond, she starts to undress herself. As soon as she's bare before him, Damon steps back in shock. It strikes him then that this is likely how she's been paying for her drugs all along. It would certainly explain Enzo's willingness to keep an eye on her and her seeming companionship with Lucy. When she tries to close the distance between them, she grabs at his crotch, squeezing him firmly. Too stunned to speak and shaken to his core, Damon recoils. Without looking at her naked form, he picks up her clothes and shoves them into her arms.

"So this is what you are now, nothing more than a God damn prostitute?" he spits, completely disgusted with her in this moment. For a briefest of seconds, he thinks he sees a hint of pain flash in her eyes but it's gone just as quickly as it appeared. Seething himself, Damon turns away. It's only when he hears the door slam shut and the deafening silence that follows does Damon finally allow himself to fall. Blown away, he stumbles backwards till the backs of his knees hit the couch. Collapsing in a heap, he finally lets the tears he's been holding inside for so long fall. With his vision blurred, he picks up her picture that sits on the end table. It's from the day he took her to the Grand Canyon. The dandelion is still in her hair. Brushing his fingertips over her face, he sobs loudly as if someone is ripping his heart out through his chest. As much as he wants it all to go away, he knows that it won't, not now not ever because he finally has to face that the woman he loves is truly gone.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. Love you dearly._

 _You are all the very best. I cannot begin to thank you enough. The Delena family is the best there is._

 _Chapter title: 'Dancing in the Dark' by Bruce Springsteen._

 _I hope to update more frequently since I only have 2 stories in progress now. I posted the final chapter of "San Francisco" the other day. I am really anxious to share the new stuff with you. We're not quite half way through this one yet._

 _Be safe and have a terrific day. Thank you all again._


	11. Hold On Loosely

_"I need to use the bathroom," Elena whispers into the ear of the blue eyed man beside her. He winks and nods at her, she stands. Making her way through the rows of chairs, she reaches the double doors and then pauses, smiling at the raven haired man. Slipping through the doors, she hurries down the hall, her shoes clacking against the linoleum floor. When she sees the sign for the women's restroom, she turns right. Completing the distance, she does what she needs to do then finishes up and steps over to the sink. With her attention focused on washing her hands, she doesn't hear the man stealthily slip behind. It's only when she looks up and sees his reflection in the mirror does she scream. It dies on her lips when he covers her mouth with something. Seconds later, her eyes roll to the back of her head as blackness consumes her._

"It's just the drugs though, right? Elena asks, looking up at Enzo and Lucy. "Sometimes I see things in my dreams and nightmares. Some of them are so intense but it's like I'm looking through water, nothing is clear. I don't know what's real and what is the product of my drug riddled mind? I'm so scared because I don't know who I was or even who I am anymore. I do know that the heroin gives me an escape, an intense euphoric escape. God help me but I like it. That's what I want, I don't want to go back. And then there's Damon. Sometimes he looks at me as if I'm the only girl in the world and sometimes he looks at me like I stabbed his puppy. It's all so confusing."

"I can't remember for you, Elena," Lucy says, giving her hands a squeeze. After glancing at Enzo, who gives her a subtle nod, she starts telling Elena her story. "I have a family somewhere, Elena. I had twin baby boys. Their names are Dominic and Delancy. I'm not proud to admit that I was using the whole time. They were born at 30 weeks, both addicted to heroin. The doctors saved their lives but it's likely that they're developmentally delayed and well.. it's my fault."

"Where are they? What happened to them?" Elena asks, a stunned look on her face as her eyes flash quickly to Enzo and then back to Lucy.

"They were taken from me and made wards of the court. I have no idea where they are or where to begin to look for them," she adds, pausing for a moment to wipe the tears that are forming at the corners of her eyes. "The only thing they told me is that they were adopted by a good family. Even if I were to find them, I would never take what they have now away from my boys." Lucy looks up, offering him a sad smile when she feels Enzo's hands gently squeezing her shoulders.

"As painful as that is Elena, I don't want to forget my sons. You're strong, Elena, so much stronger than I was. It's painful, I know that but you have to try to remember who you are if you ever want to let go of this life."

"Maybe I don't want to let go of this life?" Elena adds, dropping her eyes, her mind whirling with everything that Lucy has told her.

"Elena, you were a police officer. That's what Enzo has told me. You don't belong in this world and the sooner you realize it the better."

"Who are you to say whether or not I belong in this world? I could say the same about you," Elena snaps, the need for something beginning to frazzle her nerves.

"Elena, don't be like that. I care about you," the other woman adds, her head tilting just slightly. Lucy knows that she cares about Elena in more ways that she should. Enzo has always known that she likes both sexes. He's participated in their share of threesomes. Yet, Lucy has hope that maybe someday she and Enzo can get out of this life, maybe have a nice little house with a yard and children playing in it. Melancholy fills her for a moment because she knows that she can't give him that just yet. She has to work, they need to be safe and he needs to be tough. She'll do whatever it is she can to help him.

Jumping out of her seat, Elena begins to scratch at her skin while pacing the length of Enzo's living room. Rolling his eyes, he goes into his office. After unlocking his stash, he gets a dose ready for Elena. He's trying to mix it so it's not quite as potent as a means to try to eventually wean her off of it altogether. Realistically he knows that rehab is the ultimate answer but until she wants it, the only thing he can do is to take care of her. His mind drifts to the other cop. Everything about him screams that he loves Elena. Enzo can also see how the light in his eyes dims a little more every time Elena spurns him. Shaking his head, he picks up a syringe, aspirating some of the amber fluid into it. He takes the time to lock everything up again before returning to Elena.

"It's about time," she snaps, pushing her sleeve up to reveal her scars. Taking her arm, he tucks it under his and then sticks the needle in, pressing the plunger until he sees her eyes start to glaze over. Leading her over to the couch, he lays her down and lifts her feet up. He covers her up with a throw blanket. Staring at her for a few minutes, her face is a wash of euphoria, her lips parted slightly. Having seen enough, he takes Lucy's hand. "Come on, love, let's let her sleep it off." With Lucy's nod, they leave the house together because Enzo has some business to take care of.

* * *

Stepping out of the bathroom, a towel cinched around his waist, Damon goes into the closet. He drops the towel and pulls on a clean pair of jeans. Thumbing through his hangers, he pauses when he finds one of hers hidden among then. Lifting the hanger off the bar, he presses the fabric to his face. As he breathes in her scent, Damon feels his belly twisting, the hurt inside ripping him apart thread by mediocre thread. Blowing out a breath, he folds it up carefully and pulls open on of his dresser drawers. He shoves a few things out of the way to tuck it in a safe place. It's then that he sees the empty box that used to hold his grandfather's watch. Opening it up, he runs his fingers over the velvet interior. Staring at it for several seconds, he shoves it and her shirt inside and then slams it closed. A part of him feels guilty for taking his frustration out on her but the other part is still reeling inside. The watch was a family keepsake, handed down from his great grandfather, to his grandfather and finally to Damon. Closing his eyes, he can still see himself holding it tightly in his hands during his grandpa's funeral. The watch was a work of art. It had diamonds at each of the hour markers, rubies on the hour and minute hands and a ruby cabochon on the pin.

Knowing that he's lost it and her, he drops the case inside before slamming the drawer closed. Turning around, he starts to thumb through his shirts again, finally finding one that he likes. _She always used to tease him about hanging up his tee shirts_. Quickly snapping out of the reverie, he slips the shirt over his head, bends over to get a pair of socks and then plops down on the bed to put his boots on. He steps into the bathroom once more to slap on some cologne on and after stuffing his wallet in his pocket, he runs out of the house, making sure to lock the door behind him.

* * *

With Enzo's okay, Lucy asks Elena to join her for a shopping day. Walking down one of the corridors in Fashion Square Mall, they detour into Victoria's Secret to look at the sexy lingerie. Picking up the cute pair of blood red, lacy panties, Elena runs her finger over the silk. It's so soft, the weave so fine. She sets it down and then moves over to look at the corsets and garters. When she tries to imagine herself wearing them for someone special, she has just a fleeting glimpse of a memory. _"I am going to enjoy peeling that off your gorgeous body," he whispers huskily, his ocean blue eyes exploding with lust._

"Elena? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It was the tiniest glimmer of a feeling inside that I just can't shake." Elena adds, running the corset strings between a couple of her fingers.

"What kind of a feeling?"

"I don't know Lucy, I can't explain it. So how about we concentrate on you and find something hot for you to seduce Enzo with?" she smiles, winking at her only friend.

"Enzo did say we could buy some nice things. He gave me his credit card," Lucy points her, her smile widening. They continue to browse among the display tables. Once she picks out a few things, they walk over to the fragrance section.

"Hey girl," a woman exclaims. Strutting over to join them, she kisses either side of Lucy's face and then steps back, smiling widely. "And how are you, Elena?"

"Hi Amara, you're looking hot," Elena adds, eyeing the other woman appreciatively.

"I have to look hot, it's our job after all," she laughs, giving Elena a peck on the cheek too. Picking up a piece of lingerie that leaves nothing to the imagination, Amara winks, "I have to get this. One of my regulars has a very talented tongue," she adds, a shiver of lust running up her spine.

"Don't ever change, Amara," Elena adds, eyeing Lucy who is shaking her head with a smile on her face. The three women spend a little more time chatting. When Lucy points out some scented warming gel, Amara raises an eyebrow, takes it from her hand and adds it to her stash. Watching the women, Elena thinks this life isn't so bad. Enzo's girls have all been very nice to her, not to mention Enzo himself. His women have all told her that although he's firm, he's also decent but they also confirmed that he has a temper when he's pushed. She has to wonder why he hasn't asked her to put herself out there yet? If he does tell her that she needs to earn some money too, what will she do then? Shuddering at the thought, she pushes it out of her mind for now.

When she starts to twitch a bit, she pulls Lucy aside to ask her if she has anything to tide her over. Nodding, Lucy takes a couple of pills out of her handbag and drops them into Elena's hand. Throwing them in her mouth, she chews them up, sighing with relief when she feels the warm flush. As soon as Lucy pays for her things, they head over to the café court to get something to eat.

With their plates of Gyros in hand, they take a seat not far from the mall's theater entrance. Picking up her knife, Elena starts digging into hers. "This is really good. I don't know that I've had these before," Elena mentions, reaching for her soda to swallow it down. By sheer happenstance, she looks at the ticket line, her mouth drops open when she sees _him_ with his arm draped around a girl's shoulders. Damon is laughing and smiling, looking genuinely happy. It's the first time she's seen him like that. Stunned, Elena finds herself unable to look away. When he kisses the other girl, Elena feels heart starting to slam painfully inside of her chest. She doesn't understand why it should bother her to see him with someone else? Following her line of sight, Lucy sees what Elena is staring at.

"Is that your cop? Damon isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's him," Elena confirms, finally turning away when they disappear into the theatre.

"Are you okay?" she asks, reaching across the table to lay her hand atop Elena's. As hard as she tries, she can't just shrug it off. It hurts, painfully so.

"Elena?"

"It's fine, Lucy. Maybe he'll leave me alone now," Elena adds, her eyes meeting her friend's. Forcing a smile, she picks up her fork and starts to eat again, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

* * *

With one arm around Andie's shoulders, he relaxes back into his seat to watch the movie. Using his other hand, he dips it into the bucket of popcorn to stuff into his mouth. He almost has to laugh at how daintily she takes a couple of kernels at time to pop into hers. Smiling at him, she leans over and licks the smear of butter off of his lips. "Yum," she whispers, her pupils widening. Before he can retort with anything witty, the theater darkens and the previews begin to play on the screen. When she sets the bucket on the floor, she lays her head on his shoulder while dropping her hand to his crotch at the same time. Not willing to let himself lapse again, Damon gently wraps his fingers around her wrist and removes it from his package. "Not here."

His mind is just a mess right now too. The Elena he knows, the one he fell for immediately is gone. Even in his imagination, he sees no scenario in which she comes back to him. The only thing he can hope for is that he doesn't have to identify her body on a slab in the morgue. Then there's the girl beside him. He can't sleep with her, he knows that. It's not that she isn't old enough she is the age of consent... but she's not _her._ However, he can't deny that it feels good to be able to take his mind off of Elena for a little while.

Not one to be deterred so easily, Andie tries again but Damon pries her hand loose and lays it on her lap. Noticing her pout, he smiles and drops a kiss to her lips. "You're no fun," she whispers rather loudly.

"Andie, there are children around us," he retorts, raising an eyebrow at her. Rolling her eyes, she gets up. "Where are you going?"

"To get a refill on my soda." Pushing himself back so she can get through the aisle, he breathes a sigh of relief that he has a few minutes to compose himself. When she comes back ten minutes later, she slams her drink in the holder then grabs her purse before starting to walk out again. Seeing the scowl on her face, he says nothing, but notices how she stalks up the aisle before disappearing out of the theatre a second time.

Damon knows that he shouldn't have really even asked her out for a date. She's becoming been more and more demanding of him. The only reason he hasn't ended their fake relationship is because she may have a connection to Kai. He's seen them talking which means that for now, he has to do something to keep her satisfied. He is going to take Kai and his dealer down. Because of his looks, Damon is always given the role of the Casanova when they do a job. Part of him hates it but a part of him is flattered by it too. Picking up the bucket of popcorn, he drops a handful into mouth.

Several moments later, she nudges his arm. Again he pushes back against the seat so she can return to hers. Crossing her arms over her chest, Damon is curious as to why she's suddenly in such a foul mood. "What's wrong, Andie?"

"I got my period." Damon breathes a sigh of relief because at least he has a good reason not to sleep with her today. Maintaining his persona, he extends his arm over her shoulder and pulls her close. I'm sorry that I snapped at you."

"No worries," Damon tells her and then the two sit back and watch the rest of the movie.

* * *

Tired after a rendezvous with one of her johns, Lucy unlocks her apartment and walks in. She walks over to the counter to set her things down and then reaches into the refrigerator to grab the wine bottle. She takes the cork off and then takes a long draw from the glass bottle. When she hears footsteps, she spins around to reach for the pistol in her purse.

"You're rather jumpy, love," Enzo says, taking the wine bottle from her hand to take a swallow himself.

"You startled me." Picking up her purse, she pulls out a stack of bills and hands them to him.

"It looks like you've had a rather productive night more so than Lexi and Amara although they gave me a tidy sum as well," he adds, raising an eyebrow at her teasingly before taking another long pull. Wanting more herself, she takes it from his hand and takes another deep swallow. With his focus on her, she steps in front of him and starts to run her hand over his package. He surprises her when he sets the wine bottle aside and throws her over his shoulder, carrying her into her bedroom.

In minutes, he has her naked and beneath him. Pausing only to slide a condom on, he presses inside, taking her hard and fast till her body shudders its release. Wanting more, he rolls her over and after preparing her other end, he pushes in and in moments her tight heat pushes him over the edge too. Completely spent, he collapses on top of her, pressing her into the mattress. He peppers her shoulders and the back of her neck with kisses then he rolls off of her. Leaning up on one arm, he reaches for a cigarette and lights it up. Inhaling deeply, he spreads his arm. With a twinkle in her eyes, she slides next to him, takes the cigarette from his hand and takes a long puff herself.

"I have better," she adds, pointing at the little baggie that's laying on the table beside her.

"Not tonight love," he adds, blowing out smoke rings.

"Can I ask you something?"

"It depends on what it is," he replies, raising his brows a little threateningly.

"It's Elena. I like her, I really do but why doesn't she have to go out and earn a living too?"

"She's a cop, Lucy. Sooner or later she's going to remember. If after she remembers everything, she wants to join my stable, she'll have to earn her keep too."

"Do you know who kidnapped her?"

"Not for sure. I've heard rumors though."

"Have you said anything to Damon, that other cop?"

"No because I don't know if it's true or not. I don't want him to go off half-cocked. She doesn't remember him yet but it's obvious he's crazy about her. I think she loves him too but her mind is blocking it out. I'm no shrink but I think she's afraid to face what she did to get the drugs which is why her mind blocked it out. That's my theory anyway."

"Sounds logical," Lucy adds, covering her mouth when she yawns. "Elena and I saw him with another girl when we were at the mall early this afternoon. He seemed pretty chummy with her, I mean, he has arm around her shoulders and kissed her. Maybe he's ready to move on from Elena?" Covering her mouth, she yawns again.

"Sleep," he tells her. She presses a kiss to his chest then closes her eyes. She can't help but imagine a life with him, away from all of this. Even though a big part of her wants nothing more, she also knows that she and Enzo aren't exclusive. He sleeps with his other girls too. She knows she can't make any demands because he does take good care of her and everyone else. For now he's her boss, what they have will have to be enough.

He lays beside her for awhile. He's rather surprised to hear about Salvatore being with another girl. He would have bet money that the guy is in love with Elena. But who knows, maybe he's given up? But then again, maybe there's more to it than meets the eye. Shrugging it off, he drops his eyes to the woman in his arm. When she's soundly sleeping, Enzo very carefully slides out of bed. He stares at the woman, the object of most of his dreams. "Maybe someday, love," he says softly, then drops a quick kiss to the crown of her head, dresses quickly and leaves her apartment, making sure the door is locked behind him.

* * *

After making the rounds to collect his proceeds, Enzo finally gets home. He goes directly to the kitchen to get himself something to eat, he raises an eyebrow when he finds Elena still awake, her back to him while she's cooking something on the stove. Hearing his approach, Elena turns around.

"What are you doing up?" he asks, slipping out of his leather jacket.

"I couldn't sleep and realized that I was hungry. Do you want some eggs?" she asks, stirring them with the spatula. Finishing up, she turns off the stove and then reaches into the cupboard to grab a couple of plates. After dishing them up, she hands them to Enzo and then pulls a couple of forks out of the drawer.

"You seem to know your way around my kitchen, have you been snooping by chance?" he asks, tilting his head playfully.

"How am I supposed to make anything to eat if I don't know where anything is?" she snarls, scowling at him before reaching for the salt and pepper.

"Why so testy, love?"

Blowing out a breath of air, she looks at him. "I don't know?"

"I think you do. Lucy happened to mention that you saw the cop..."

Picking at the eggs on her plate, she sets her fork down. Scrubbing her hand down her face, she finally makes eye contact with him. "Yeah, we saw him."

"Is that why you're in a dither?"

"I suppose. He's been so adamant about taking care of me, I guess I thought he loved me?"

"Perhaps he has moved on but since what you saw is all circumstantial, he may have been working on a case?"

"Maybe?" Immediately a flash of memory pops into her head.

 _Loopy from being drugged, Elena is barely coherent but does know that she's in trouble if Damon doesn't arrive soon. He throws her onto the hard ground of the athletic stadium. With the wind knocked out of her and her mind not processing what's going on, she doesn't put up a fight when he pulls her jeans down her legs. Suddenly he's on top of her but before he can rape her, he stops. Hearing a commotion, she turns her head and almost immediately he pulls up his pants and then runs off, leaving her naked from the waist down._

Enzo notices her features pale and her hands beginning to shake. "What is it?" he asks, sliding his chair beside her.

"I... I don't know, I'm afraid. I need something, please?" she begs, extending her arm.

"No, love it's too soon." Hoping Lucy won't react badly for telling her story, he takes Elena's hand. When her eyes meet his, he begins, "Lucy told you about her sons. The father of her boys was her abusive stepfather. She was just a kid when he forced her to sleep with him. When she got pregnant, he tried to force her into having an abortion. But when she refused, he told her mother that Lucy seduced him and rather than believe her own flesh and blood, she chose to believe her husband. Lucy was left homeless so she started turning tricks to earn money. Her keeper at that time was a brute. He got them addicted to drugs so they'd submit. That's why her twins were born addicted to heroin."

"How did she get away?"

"As it turns out, he also had an appetite for murder. He's on death row for killing five women."

"Oh my God," Elena breathes, grateful that Lucy somehow survived something like that. When she notices the winsome look on his face, she blurts out, "You love her?" He doesn't say anything, he just stares at her.

"It's complicated," he adds, then stands up and walks out of the kitchen, leaving Elena alone to process everything.

* * *

 _Thank you Eva. You are my dearest friend. I would not be here without you._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. I know it's a painful story but Elena has an indomitable spirit... Keep that in mind. Thank you all again for your friendship and support. It means the world._

 _Chapter title: 'Hold On Loosely' by .38 Special_

 _Be safe and have a fabulous weekend. Thanks you all again. We'll see you next week with more._


	12. Dance of Death

"You wanted to see me captain?" Damon asks, rapping on Shane's door frame. Without looking up, the man motions for Damon to come inside. Not missing a beat, Damon pulls out a chair and plops down, putting his feet up on the edge of the desk. When he looks up, he raises an eyebrow and shakes his head. Sighing Shane stands up and walks over to push his office door closed. Before getting into the matter at hand, he offers Damon a cup of coffee which he readily accepts.

"Thanks," Damon says, eyeing the man as he takes his seat again.

"It's about Elena. You need to bring her in. We need her testimony.. after which, you can have a word with Tyler Lockwood."

"About that, she ran away from my place. I haven't seen her since."

"You know where she is thought right?"

"I have an idea. I have someone keeping an eye on her but I haven't spoken to him in days either."

"Well, I suggest you do because you talking to Tyler is contingent on bringing Elena in," he says firmly, his gaze unwavering.

Dropping his eyes, Damon stares at the surface of the coffee, watching as the steam rises from it. Shaking his head back and forth slightly, he sets the cup down and stands up.

"Before you go, how close are you to wrapping things up at Roosevelt school? You've all been there a few weeks already."

"It's coming along."

"Is there anything you want to talk about, Damon?" He looks up but doesn't say anything so Shane continues, "I know I'm your captain but I'm also your friend. If you need to talk, I'm here."

"Thanks," Damon mumbles then adds, "I'll see if I can track Elena down." Without waiting for a reply, he disappears out of Shane's, leaving the door wide open on his way out.

* * *

As soon as he reaches his car, he leans against it. Dropping his eyes, Damon happens to notice an ant carrying something. He's mesmerized by it for a few seconds or maybe he's just hesitating because he doesn't know if he wants to see her or not. Every time he thinks of her stripping in front of him to pay for what she stole, it turns his stomach. If only he knew the whole sordid story about her disappearance and subsequent drug addiction. Maybe then he could understand. And yet despite all of it, Damon just can't stop thinking about her. Ever since they met, he's been consumed by her. He can't let go no matter how much he wants to right now. Shaking his head, he finally pulls his phone out of his back pocket. He doesn't want to call but he knows he has to so after procrastinating for a little while longer, he presses the number then puts the phone to his ear.

 _"Hello Damon."_

"Do you know where she is?"

 _"I do indeed. But I don't think she wants to see you right now."_

"Well quite honestly, Enzo, I don't know if I want to see her either but I don't have a choice. My captain wants me to bring her in."

 _"What happened love?"_

"We need to know if she remembers anything about the Lockwood case?"

 _"I see.. but it's more than that. You sound a little hostile?"_

"I have to accept the fact that the Elena I fell in love with is gone, maybe forever?"

 _"Is that why you felt the need to break_ _ **our**_ _girl's heart?"_

"I have no idea what you're referring to," Damon snaps, frustratingly raking his hand through his hair.

 _"She told me that you were at the mall with your hands all over another young lady."_

"She saw that... ? Pinching the bridge of his nose, he mutters, "Perfect, just perfect."

 _"She did. But if your not interested in her anymore, it shouldn't bother you."_

"It wasn't like that, Enzo. It was work related, I was playing a part."

 _"I suspected as much. You're in too deep to turn your feelings off just like that."_

Knowing it's true, Damon doesn't say anything. After several seconds pass, he tells him that he needs to take her to the station to talk to Shane.

 _"You can pick her up at the McDonald's on Fairfax in an hour. I'll make sure she doesn't run."_

"I'll be there." Damon says then ends the call. Raising an arm, he almost slams his phone to the ground. Frustrated beyond words, Damon feels like he's a living and breathing example of Murphy's Law. Once he calms down enough to drive, he jumps behind the wheel and drives off, the only thing on his mind is what he'll say when he sees her again.

* * *

"Elena," Enzo starts to say, "You need to talk to Officer Salvatore."

"No! I don't want to see him," she says, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You have to love. It's time to start putting things in order. You're safe here, Elena. I know that you want to hide from those fleeting glimpses of memories but you're going to need to confront them sooner or later. I won't refuse you shelter. If you want to come back here instead of going home with the cop, then do so but it's time to take your life back."

"How do you know that I need to talk to him?"

"I happened to run into him. His captain, your old captain needs to speak to you is what he told me."

Feeling her heart begin to slam inside of her throat, she turns her back to Enzo. Elena doesn't want to see him, especially now knowing that he's moved onto someone new. Still she knows that he could make life difficult for Enzo and by extension, herself and all of the girls too. On some level, she knows that she should talk to the police. But what would she tell them? Crimes committed in nightmares aren't real. Anxious, she starts to gnaw on her lower lip. Her hands also begin to tremble slightly.

Seeing her face pale, Enzo disappears for a moment. Taking the needle, he gives her a small hit, takes her by the hand and leads her to his car. Once he buckles her safety belt, he darts over the hood and slides into the driver's seat. When her eyes drop closed, Enzo knows the drug is working. "What is it about you that I can't seem let go of?" Enzo says aloud then puts the car into gear, backs out the driveway and steps on the gas pedal, leaving a trail of dust behind.

* * *

Damon pulls into the parking lot of the McDonalds. He doesn't know whether he should just wait outside or if he should go inside to look for her. He waits for about ten minutes and when no one shows up, he starts to walk towards the entrance. Hearing a horn, he looks around, nodding when he sees Enzo stepping out of his car. When he sees her, his heart melts all over again, just like its always done every time he lays eyes on her. With a nudge from Enzo, Elena hesitantly walks over to Damon. She wants nothing more than to run away. Pausing, she looks over her shoulder for a few seconds, nodding slightly when she sees Enzo do the same.

Watching it all play out, Damon hates the distance between them. He remembers when she used to look to him for reassurance on the rare occasion that she needed it. She's the strongest woman he's ever met and this person, it's not her. He's going to murder whoever robbed her of her spirit. Hearing the footsteps getting closer, Damon looks up. Walking around to the passenger side of his car, he opens the door and lets her slide inside. Before he gets in, he walks over to talk to Enzo.

"Where do you want me to drop her off?"

"Bring her back here. Just text me when you're on your way."

"Sure," Damon agrees then walks back to his car and gets in. He puts the key in the ignition but doesn't turn it yet. Looking at Elena, he says, "He told me that you saw me at the mall with another girl, Elena. I know we're not in a good place, we're not any place right now but do you really think I could fall out of love with you that fast?"

Snapping her head, she looks at him but doesn't say anything so Damon continues, "When you saw me with that girl, I was playing a role. I have no feelings for her." Despite the fact that he has no relationship with Elena right now, he still feels the pangs of guilt for letting Andie touch him. Shaking it off for now, Damon continues, "Maybe your mind is still fuzzy, I don't know but that's what we, you, me, Bonnie and Brady do. We infiltrate high schools and break up drug rings and car theft, things like that."

"Is that where I was with Tyler?" she asks, leaving Damon almost speechless.

"It's how we all met him. We all had roles at his school. He was selling roopies but we need you to remember Elena before the DA decides to forego the trial."

"Oh," she says, turning away from the intensity of his stare to look out of the window. Sighing, Damon turns the ignition and pulls into traffic. She doesn't say anymore but he notices that she takes an occasional cursory glance at him. When they reach police headquarters, Damon parks the car and then runs around to her side to open the door for her. Forgetting for a moment how things are between them, Damon presses his palm against her lower back, urging her into the Captain's office.

"Hello Elena. You're looking better," Shane says, adding, "have a seat."

"I don't know if I can help you or not. There's a lot that I don't remember," she says, her eyes meeting Damon's.

"Can you tell us what you do remember?" Damon asks, taking her hand in his. She gasps softly when she feels the electricity at his touch. Staring at their hands, she looks up when she hears Shane clear his throat.

"Do you remember anything about being at the school or about the day you disappeared?"

Meeting the captain's gaze, she looks at him for a moment before letting them drift to Damon's. "Um, I remember using the bathroom. When I was washing my hands, I looked in the mirror. There was a man behind me. I saw some ink on his arm but I'm not sure what it was. Before I could open my mouth, he put something over my face. I don't remember anymore after that," she blurts out, her voice a little frantic sounding. Damon and Shane too can see the fear beginning to erupt behind those big brown pupils of hers.

"Elena, could it have been the man in the morgue? I know you don't want to remember but this is vitally important." Laying his hand atop her clenched ones, Damon gives them a soft pat and nods subtly, hoping to convey that she's safe here. "I know it's hard, but do you remember seeing anyone familiar or even perhaps hearing a name?"

"No, I don't know," she snaps, her heart beating like a freight train inside of her. Feeling the bile at the back of her throat, she swallows thickly. With Shane's nod, Damon drops the line of questioning.

"This is off the record, Elena, but how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, he takes good care of me."

"You're going to have to see a doctor and go to rehab but if you can do that, successfully, I'll gladly bring you back to our team. You're a good cop, Elena. I know you've been through something unspeakable but I hope you won't let it beat you."

Elena stares for a moment then starts to laugh almost hysterically. She can picture no scenario where she would willingly give up the heroin. Everyday she craves it, counts each minute between doses. It's euphoric. Why would she want to give that up? To Shane and Damon too, it's painfully obvious that she isn't ready to face her addiction. So after several minutes of uncomfortable silence, Elena tells Damon she wants to go back. Dropping his chin to his chest for a moment, he stands up and motions for her to lead the way. Pausing at the doorframe, Damon turns around and smiles sadly at Shane before following Elena outside. Keeping a bit of distance behind her, he pulls out his phone and quickly texts Enzo that he's bringing her back. Although as a cop, he knows Enzo is a bit of a low life but he can see that Elena has gained some weight. She's no longer deathly pale but he's no fool. It's painfully obvious that she's still using. He'd bet money that Enzo gave her a fix before he picked her up.

Once he sees that she buckles her seatbelt, he back out of the parking space and into traffic. When he reaches the McDonald's he pulls into the parking lot. Not seeing Enzo anywhere he stops the car and lets her out. Although it kills him to watch her walk away once more, he knows that he can't keep her against her will. Breaking into a fast pace, she hurries to the corner. As much as she wants to be rid of him, she still finds herself torn. Despite all the bad blood between them lately, there's something about him that pulls her in. "No," she says out loud to herself when something inside urges her to turn around and go back to Damon. Pausing at the corner, she turns around and gives him one last long look before running away as fast as she can.

* * *

Looking out of the window in the interrogation room, Damon watches the traffic driving by on the street below him. It's been a few days since he saw Elena again. Tomorrow he has to slip back into his Damon Hanson persona at the school. The only way he can think of to get out of sleeping with Andie is to either wrap up the case or break up with her. Even though he has no romantic feelings in the least for her, he doesn't want to hurt her either. He needs to solve the case so he, Bonnie and Brady can just disappear, never to be heard from again. If only this could all go away, he thinks to himself, startling when he hears the heavy steel door open. Looking up, he sees Tyler being shackled to the seat. When their eyes meet, Tyler smirks. When the guard steps out, Damon turns the chair around and sits down, resting his arms on the backrest.

"I suppose you're preparing to get me back into that courtroom?" he starts to say, "Oh wait, you can't, your star witness is a heroin junkie."

Although he wants nothing more than to knock his teeth out of his mouth, Damon somehow manages to control himself. "Don't you worry, Tyler. We'll be ready soon enough. But right now, I have my sights set on daddy dearest for messing with her. And when I take them down, and mark my words, I will, he won't be able to protect you any longer. He stares at Damon for a few minutes. When he realizes that the cop is serious, he starts to laugh loud.

"You're serious? You really think that my saint of father would move a finger to risk his reputation on the likes of me? He could care less if I spend the rest of my life in here."

Caught off guard by Tyler's obvious bitterness, he nevertheless retorts, "Maybe not for you but we both know that he'd move mountains to save his own neck and his reputation."

* * *

After parking his car, Enzo, with Elena in tow, walks into the bar. Looking around, he nods when he sees the man he came her to see. Turning to Elena, he tells her to take a seat and have something to eat. Looking around, Elena notices a few people. There's a couple of guys playing pool, another sitting in a booth with his nose buried in his laptop. Turning slightly, she sees two more men eating lunch, one of whom smiles and waggles his brows at her. Feeling a shiver, she relaxes a little bit when she sees Amara. Looking over her shoulder, she sees that Enzo is talking animatedly with some guy, their heads close together. Deciding to do as she's told, she slides into the booth opposite of her friend.

"Elena? What are you doing here?" she asks, fixing her lipstick with her compact mirror.

"Enzo had some business. He said I needed to get out of the house for a little while."

Smiling at her, Amara happens to notice some guy eying Elena appreciatively. "It looks like that one's interested," she points out, using her head to gesture to the guy. Trying to be discreet, Elena looks over her shoulders, feeling a bit of a shiver when she sees the guy with the laptop staring at her. Snapping her head back quickly, she feels a growing sense of unease. What if Enzo brought her here to pull a few tricks? Deep inside, her belly begins to churn anxiously.

Very astute, Amara notices right away that Elena is starting to freak out. Dropping her eyes to her bag, she pulls a couple of pills out and hands them to her. After swallowing one herself, she hands Elena her glass of wine to do the same. Grateful, Elena pops it into her mouth and quickly follows it with a deep swallow of the fragrant red wine. Needing to use the bathroom, Elena tells Amara that she'll be right back. Passing Enzo, they make eye contact and then she disappears into the rest room. As soon as she finishes, she comes out, now noticing that a lot more people are here. When she starts to walk back to Amara, she stops when she feels a hand encircle her wrist. Seeing that it's Enzo, her chest heaves with relief.

"We'll be leaving shortly, love," he says then lets her go.

"Okay, I'll just be with Amara," Elena explains then turns to go back to the table. Hearing a sharp gasp, she sees a strange look on Amara's face and then as if she's watching in slow motion, a pallor washes over her just before her eyes grow black and cold. Confused about what's happening, she doesn't notice the laptop guy again until now. When the man looks over his shoulder, Elena sees recognition in his eyes. He stands at his full height and starts to stalk towards her but before he reaches her, Enzo steps behind her, supporting her weight when she starts to stagger backwards. The man curses and then hurries out of the bar and when he does, Amara's body topples over in the seat..., blood pouring out of the gaping slice in her throat.

Elena starts to scream but Enzo grabs her hand and runs with her to the back entrance. Thanking the Gods that a taxi is idling at the curb, he shoves Elena in and tells her to go straight home and lock the doors tight. "I'll be right behind you." Turning to the driver, he yells, "GO!"

* * *

 _Things just took a rather ominous turn..._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. You're all absolutely priceless. We're about half way into this story now._

 _Love you dearly, Eva. You too are priceless._

 _Chapter title: 'Dance of Death' by Iron Maiden._

 _I wanted to update earlier in the week but we're so short of help at the hospital. It's madness._

 _I hope you all have a fabulous day. Thank you all again._


	13. Ain't No Sunshine

Strolling into his last class of the day, Damon has successfully avoided Andie for the last few days. Of course it helped that she didn't show up for school for two of those days after he initiated their little spat. He doesn't know why but one of her friends mentioned something about her having a sore throat. For that, Damon is grateful. He already feels enough guilt and all he really did is let her touch him a couple of times. Even though he's all but certain that Elena has been engaging in sex for drugs, still regret gnaws at him.

From across the concourse, he sees Kai gesticulating wildly at Randy Fell, his face red and distorted with what looks like rage. Curious, Damon tries to get a little closer to see if he can over hear anything but he happens to notice Brady who urges him to back off. Nodding, Damon spins on his heels and heads towards his physiology class. Since Brady has that issue under control, Damon's thoughts veer once more to Elena. It's been days since Damon saw her disappear around the corner of that McDonald's. Walking through the threshold, he plops down into one of the desks at the back of the room. Sometimes he thinks what the hell is he doing sitting in a high school at his age? But when Captain Shane formed his division, they asked for volunteers, young looking men and women who could pass for high school age kids. For whatever reason, he interviewed and Shane chose him to join his squad.

When a middle aged woman walks in, she introduces herself as Mrs. Thompson, their substitute teacher for the day. Staring at her, Damon is struck by how much she resembles the housekeeper his parents had when he and the twins were growing up. Their parents, being scientists, travel all over the world giving lectures, attending symposiums and taking teacher assignments at Ivy League schools both here and abroad. As such, their three boys were left in the care of a housekeeper slash nanny. After graduating from the police academy, he got his job and then his own apartment. As soon as he had a couple of paychecks under his belt, he brought Stefan and Jeremy to live with him. He hated that they were sent away to the east coast to go to boarding school. He's not much older than them but because he's smart, he graduated high school at sixteen. He won't deny that there were times his brothers made him want to pull out his hair. Still, he wouldn't change a thing because he and his brothers have always been tight knit, something that he hopes will never change.

When he feels his cellphone vibrating in his pocket, he snaps out of his reverie. Since he can't answer it till class is over, he gets a little antsy as he watches the minute hand move ever so slowly. By the time the bell rings, Damon hurries out of the room. He stops at his locker to put his books away and then goes directly outside.

About the same time he reaches his car, the phone is vibrating again. Recognizing Enzo's number, he answers immediately. Before Damon can utter a hello, Enzo speaks, " _Do you know where the Catacomb bar is_?"

"Yeah, why?"

" _You need to meet me down here as soon as you can_."

"What's going on, Enzo?"

 _"We'll talk when you get here."_

"Enzo?" Damon curses when the phone goes dead. Squeezing his phone in his hand, he shakes his head back and forth for a few seconds. There's no doubt in his mind that this has to do with her. She's the only common denominator. Frustrated, he jumps into his car, waving for Brady and Bonnie to follow before pulling onto the road. With it being rush hour, traffic is bumper to bumper making Damon even crazier.

By the time he arrives, he sees a plethora of police vehicles, flashing lights and even an ambulance. His heart is beating like a jackhammer inside of his chest because why would Enzo text him to come if it didn't involve Elena. Old God, he thinks to himself as panic begins to build and burn hot inside of him. Breaking out in a run, he hurries towards the building. Looking like a wild man, the two cops guarding the entrance restrain him.

Cursing, he reaches for his badge but realizes that he left it in his glove compartment. He tries to tell them that he's an officer too but it's only when Captain Shane happens to notice his predicament that they let him pass.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" Atticus asks, looking at him intently before his eyes drift to Bonnie and Brady who are approaching the two of them.

"A friend called me. Elena hangs around in this area. I was afraid for her."

"It's not her. Why would she be hanging around down here?"

"I don't know why she does what she does anymore quite honestly," Damon tells him truthfully.

Nodding, Shane continues, "The vic is one of Enzo's girls. She has been positively identified as Amara Redden. She was sitting in a booth and a guy slit her throat. She bled out in seconds," Shane informs him, his voice even and matter of fact. After sharing a look with Damon, Brady walks over to speak to a forensics technologists while Bonnie trails along. Looking around, Damon notices Enzo staring at him so he excuses himself to go to speak with him.

Hurrying into the kitchen through the open door, Damon pulls Enzo aside. Once they has some semblance of privacy, Damon asks, "What's going on Enzo? Why did you call me here and is she okay?"

"Elena is safe. She's with Lucy. I had some business and she wanted out of the house so I brought her with me. She told me that she was visiting with Amara but got up to use the bathroom. She also said that a man on a laptop was eyeing them rather intently. When she came back to the booth, she heard Amara's last gasp. I got her out of here as quickly as I could," Enzo explains, stopping when an officer calls his name to talk to one of the detectives investigating the murder. Stepping aside, Damon lets him pass. Although he doesn't think much of what Enzo does for a living, he will admit that the other cops seem to have a certain respect for him. It's almost like they treat him with deference. There aren't many murders on his stretch of road and as much as he hates it, Elena seems to trust him too. When Enzo is done, Damon comes up behind him just as he's opening his car door.

"Salvatore?"

"I love her," Damon says, looking away for a moment. As soon as he swallows down the lump in his throat, he mentions, "One day you will have to tell me why you're helping me."

"One day I will," he replies. After the two men share a look, Enzo sinks into his car, slams the door shut and drives away. Damon doesn't turn away till Enzo's tail lights disappear in the distance.

* * *

Stepping into his apartment, Enzo slips off his leather jacket and hangs it on the coat tree. Needing a drink, he walks over to his bar and pulls the bottle of Maker's Mark out from behind its hiding place. Taking a deep breath, he twists off the lid and then fills a glass. Setting the bottle down, he takes a deep pull and then sets it down, his hand still clutching the glass. Pressing his other palm flat on the bar, he starts to think about Amara's son Anthony. The kid's father has custody of him but he was still her pride and joy. She was one of his most lucrative draws but aside from that, she was a good person. He'll miss her. Just as he lifts the glass to his mouth again, he hears a door creak. Looking up, he sees Lucy tiptoeing out of the bedroom. Hurrying over him, she wraps her arms around his waist, lays her face against his chest and then gives him a squeeze.

"Are you okay?" she asks, concern written all over her face.

"Yeah... How is she?" he sighs, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"Elena is an absolute mess. She was panicking and nearly hyperventilating. I had to give her enough to knock her out. I hope you don't mind."

"Honestly, Lucy.. I'd like to see her go to rehab and beat it. She doesn't belong in our world but it has to be her decision. If it's forced on her, she'll fall right back in."

"I know you're right. She seems happy with us."

"The only reason she's content right now is because whoever kidnapped her, brainwashed her. She doesn't remember the life or the love she had before. Between you and me, I think she was the intended target tonight, not Amara. I doubt that she noticed but I saw the man who did this. As soon as he saw Elena, he looked like he knew he made a mistake. He started advancing on her but as you know, I got her out of there in time."

"We have to tell her the truth, Enzo. She'll blame herself, you know this?"

"I know that, love," Enzo adds. With his eyes focused on her bedroom door, he throws back what's left of his drink.

* * *

 _Walking down the worn path, she stoops down to smell the Scarlet Bugler. They're wildflowers that grow in Grand Canyon National Park. Walking further, she reaches Grandview Point. There are large outcroppings of rocks. She takes off her shoes and walks out onto one of the flat rocks. When she stumbles, he grabs her around the waist to keep her from falling. Turning around to thank the man for helping her, she's met with the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes she's ever seen. As he works to steady her, he slips on the loose gravel and topples over the edge, his arms flailing in mid air till he lands in a heap on a rock, blood immediately pooling around his head. Screaming loudly, she runs away, knowing the it's her fault the man died._

Turning over in bed, a still drugged Elena thrashes her head around for several moments. Feeling something on her face, she relaxes then rolls onto her side and buries her face in the pillow.

 _"Hey Elena," Lexi greets her, sliding over in her seat to make room for her to sit down. Sitting opposite them on the other side are Lucy and Amara. Picking up the pitcher of beer, Lucy fills one and then slides it over to Elena. The girls laugh and talk. Suddenly there's a man standing at the head of the table, a large dagger in his hands. While Elena watches in shock, he slits their throats, their blood spattering all over Elena. It doesn't stop and soon she's drenched in blood. It's dripping from her hair and from her fingertips, suddenly she hears cold blooded screaming, enough to wake the dead and it's then that she realizes that it's coming from her own mouth._

"Elena, wake up," Lucy cries. As hard she's shaking her, Elena is still lost in the world between reality and dreams. Lucy screams for Enzo and he comes barreling into the room, wearing only his pajama pants. As much as he hates to do it, he rears back and slaps her hard. Immediately her eyes snap open. She jumps out of bed and runs into the walk in closet and hides in the corner. Rocking back and forth, she stops when she feels a hand on her forearm. With tears pouring from her eyes, she hugs Lucy as hard as she can. "You're not dead, you're not dead," she says repeatedly, not releasing her grip. Moments later, Enzo drops to the floor too. He hands her a glass of bourbon and when their eyes meet, Elena swallows it in one drink.

"We need to talk, love," he says, his eyes drifting from hers to Lucy's and back. Although Enzo can see the intense level of fear in hers, she has to know the truth. Shaking his head back and forth for a second as he tries to figure out where to start, he finally decides just to lay it on the line. "I think you were meant to be killed and not Amara."

"No, no, no, no," she utters, her face contorted in anguish.

"Elena..., Enzo is right. From the profile, you and Amara looked a lot alike. Amara wasn't a cop, she didn't have any enemies."

"I should never have come here. You're all in danger in and it's my fault."

"Elena, love, it's not your fault. It's the people who took you in the first place. That's another reason you need to remember. They have to pay for what they did to you and for what they did to her," Enzo says firmly but compassionately. Staring at him, Elena finally gets her breathing under control. When he repeats that it's not her fault, she nods but deep inside, she knows who's responsible. She stares at Enzo as he gets up and walks out of the closet. A few moments later he reappears brandishing a syringe. As much as she would like to say no, the amber color of the liquid calls to her. Involuntarily she extends her arm, closing her eyes and dropping her head back when she feels the prick of the needle. The next thing she knows, she's in his arms as he carries her back to bed.

* * *

Having tossed and turned all night long, Damon sits up at the bedside. Dropping his face onto his fingertips, Damon would just like to blot it all out for a little while. Although Enzo was tightlipped, he knows full well that the only reason he called him was because he believes Elena to be in danger. He saw the victim, her long brown hair, matted with blood. From the distance he saw her from, he can't deny that the two women resembled each other. Shaking his head, he gets out of bed to get ready to go to work also known as school. But in a way, he craves it because it gives him a time out from having to worry about _her._

When he walks up the steps, the first one he encounters is Andie. In no mood to deal with her today, he raises his hand to stop her in her tracks. "What's wrong? I missed you," she pouts, licking her lips when her eyes drop to his crotch. Knowing that he can't let her touch him again, he shakes his head no.

"I have to get to class, Andie," he tells her then disappears down the corridor, ducking into the men's room where by sheer happenstance, he finds Brady.

"Hey," Damon says, leaning back against the sink. "I need to talk to you and Bonnie. But since anyone could walk in here, where can we meet?"

"Do you want to go to your place?"

"Frankly, I could use some alcohol but I need to keep my wits about me. What if we go to that coffee shop on Grand Avenue?"

"I'll tell Bonnie," Brady says, giving his friends shoulder a squeeze. "Around 4?"

Nodding, Damon watches as the door swings open and closed when Brady goes through it. After using the bathroom, he heads to history class to keep an eye on Kai Parker. Taking one of the desks beside the window, Damon is surprised when Kai doesn't show up for class. He did see him briefly in the hall earlier today. When the teacher starts to speak, he turns to the front of the class but as he drones on, Damon yawns. Bored, he looks out of the window, his eyes widening when he sees Kai standing beside a big black Ford Escalade. Judging by the way he wipes his hand across his forehead and the look on his face, someone is brow beating him. The car is parked broadside so he can't see a license plate. Nor can he see who's driving it. Moments later, he watches an angry Kai retreat, the darkened car window being rolled up at the same time it pulls out of the parking lot and disappears down the street. It bugs Damon that there was nothing about the car that stood out either, like an individualized hood ornament or anything. When the bell rings, he hurries out of the class, brushes right past Andie, jumps in his vehicle, not stopping until he reaches the rendezvous point.

Once he parks the car, he goes in. Seeing that Bonnie and Brady haven't arrived, he takes a table. Pulling out his phone, he looks at his messages but sets it aside when his friends sit down. After placing their order, Damon talks in a hushed voice that it was Enzo who told Damon to come to the crime scene last evening. He also mentions the resemblance between Amara and Elena and his belief that Elena is in danger. He mentions the Lockwood's and what Tyler had to say about Richard's only concern being his reputation.

"Enzo has been watching her for you hasn't he?" Bonnie asks, taking a swallow from her coffee cup.

"He has but I'm scared now. He wouldn't have called if he didn't believe that Elena was the intended victim. I don't know how to keep her safe when she doesn't want anything to do with me," Damon admits, rubbing his temples in an attempt to soothe his throbbing headache.

"Maybe I can help? Do you think she'd stay with me?"

"I don't think she trusts any of us quite honestly Bonnie. I just don't know what to do."

"We'll figure something out, Damon. You need to take care of yourself too," Brady adds, finishing up what's left in his coffee cup. The three strategize for a little longer, not really coming up with anything concrete. Exhausted after not sleeping all night, Damon tells his friends goodbye then walks out of the coffee shop and drives home, his heart heavy with worry.

* * *

When he goes to stick the key in his door, it flies open. Stepping back, he sighs in relief when he sees that it's Jeremy. "What are you doing here?" Damon asks, stepping into his house when Jer steps aside.

"Stefan took a fall. He sprained his ankle and had to get a few stitches in his head. He had to spend the night in the hospital to make sure his head was okay so they gave us a couple of days off. Walking right past one brother, he goes in search of the other. He finds Stefan sitting on the couch, his leg elevated on the end table. Brushing his hair back, Damon sees the row of stitches in his hairline.

"Are you okay, Stef?"

"I'm fine, just embarrassed."

"Thank God," Damon utters, plopping down on the couch beside him. As much as he loves his brothers, he didn't need this right now. He needs to do something with Elena although he has no idea what that could be. Now they'll be here for a few days. Then he chastises himself silently because Stefan could have been badly hurt or even killed taking a fall at the canyon. Damon sits for several minutes before getting up and disappearing into his bedroom to change clothes. He slips into a tee shirt and a pair of pajama pants then goes to the kitchen to make something to eat. Pausing to pull a beer out of the fridge, he takes a long pull then sets it down on the counter. Leaning against the sink, he drops his forehead into his hand.

"What's the matter, Damon?" Jeremy asks. Pulling out a chair, he tells Damon to sit and then pulls up a chair beside him.

"Everything is just a clusterfuck, Jer."

Having never seen his brother looking so despondent, he says, "Talk to me."

Shaking his head back and forth for a moment, Damon drops his elbows on the table top and threads his fingers through his hair. "It's Elena."

"I kind of figured that. I know that she's missing. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want you to worry about me, Jer. And she's been found but we don't know where she was. All we know is that while she was being held, she got addicted to heroin."

"Heroin?" Stefan asks, hobbling into the kitchen with his crutches. Damon jumps up and pulls a chair out for him. Reaching into the refrigerator again, he hands each of his brothers a bottle of beer. They're not 21 yet but he's here and they're not going anywhere. '

"You should have told us, Damon. We would have helped you look for her," Stefan says, a little aggravated at Damon for keeping such a thing to himself.

"Look, I didn't want to worry you guys, okay? My job is dangerous and the last thing I want to do is put the two of you in the line of fire," Damon says firmly. Turning his back to them, he starts pulling stuff out of the cupboard and the freezer to make them something to eat. Shaking his head, Jeremy gets up and tells Damon to sit down that he'll make supper. The brothers talk for sometime but when Damon's eyes start to drift closed, Stefan nudges him and tells him to go to bed and that he and Jeremy will clean up the dishes. Shaking his head, he doesn't argue with them. He stops to use the bathroom and then goes to his room, crawls under the covers, falling asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.

* * *

Barely between the edge of wake and sleep, Damon rolls over when he feels someone jostling his arm. When he opens his bleary eyes, he yawns widely then asks Jeremy why he's waking him up.

"You left your phone in the living room," Jer says, handing it to him. "Who the hell is calling me this early?" Damon growls, raising up on his elbow.

"I don't know, the guy said it was vitally important that he speak to you. After yawning once more, Damon brings it to his face, "Hello?"

 _"It's Enzo. Elena is gone."_

* * *

 _I am sorry for keeping you all waiting. Work has been insane lately. Thank you for understanding._

 _Love you dearly, Eva. Thank you for everything. You always go above and beyond to help me._

 _Massive thanks to all of you. Damon and Elena fans are in a class all by themselves. I cannot express how much your support means to both me and to Eva. You're all just the very best._

 _Chapter title: 'Ain't No Sunshine' by Bill Withers._

 _Please be safe and have a fabulous day. Thank you all again._


	14. You Can Only Get So High

"What did you just say?" Damon asks, the color draining from his face.

 _"She's gone. She took off when Lucy and I were asleep. The last time either of us saw here was around 1:30 this morning. Lucy checked in on her before coming to bed. Sometime in that six hour window, she took off. We're getting ready to go out to look for her. Oh... and you should know that she only took the pills that Lucy had in her purse. She'll be in a bad way if she starts withdrawing."_

Suddenly wide awake, Damon bobs his head up and down but is speechless. Unable to say anything, Damon hands the phone back to Jeremy without uttering another word. He barely hears his little brother's voice saying something to Enzo. Stunned, his mind is such a convoluted mess, he doesn't even begin to know where to start looking for her. And the million dollar question being, did she leave on her own or did someone take her again? When the shock finally wears off, Damon lurches out of bed, runs into his closet and dresses quickly. Although he knows something is wrong, Jeremy can hardly keep himself from laughing when he sees his brother running around like a whirling dervish. barely Damon grabs his cell phone. As soon as Brady picks up, he asks for his help. After they agree to meet at the police station, he shoves his phone into his jeans pocket. When he comes flying out of the closet, Jeremy grabs his shoulders and leads him over to the bed to sit down.

"Stop! Slow down for thirty seconds Damon? What's going on?" Jeremy moves to stand in front of him so he can't bolt without some kind of an explanation. Before he can speak, they hear a little commotion and look up to see Stefan standing in the doorway.

"Talk," he demands, pointing one of the crutches at Damon.

"It's Elena, Enzo said she disappeared. Bonnie and Brady are going to meet me at the station. I can't do nothing, Jer," Damon tells, his face contorting with anguish and fear.

"Of course, you can't. What can we do to help?" Jeremy asks, his eyes drifting from Damon's to Stefan's and back. Chomping at the bit, Damon darts around Jer to grab his wallet and keys but Stefan blocks the door.

"What can we do?" he says firmly. Damon has always, always been there for them. The least they can do is help him now.

"If you really want to help, check the mall, some of the places that we used to go together when you guys would visit, anything. Just promise me that you won't split up or go into any dark corners or dangerous parts of town. I can't lose you two too. I won't survive it," Damon pleads. After giving each of them a hug and a wish for good luck, Damon flies out of the apartment and into his car, eternally grateful that he hits most intersections on a green light.

Pulling his car to a screeching halt, he runs into the building, not stopping till he reaches his office. Barreling into Shane's office, he nearly bowls the captain over. With his chest heaving as he struggles to take a breath, Shane looks at him curiously. "What's going on, Damon?"

"It's Elena. She disappeared again."

"Cut the crap, Damon. You and I both know that your friend Enzo lost her," Shane exclaims, raising an eyebrow at Damon.

"I knew you wouldn't approve but she didn't remember what we had nor did she trust me. I needed someone to keep an eye on her. But that's neither here nor there, we need a search warrant for the club that Trevor used to work at. She's in danger, captain."

"Despite what you think, Damon, Elena is an adult who's free to make her own choices. She may very well have left of her own accord."

"Maybe she did and maybe she didn't. But we have to find her, she needs help. Enzo didn't say it out loud but I know he believes that Elena was the intended target last night, not Amara Redden. She was at the bar with him when it happened. He told me the killer saw Elena and made a move towards her but he got her out of there as soon as he saw Enzo."

Opening and closing his mouth like a fish, Atticus slams his fist on his desktop. It takes him a couple of minutes to regain control of his senses but when he does, he moves to stand toe to toe with Damon. "Why in the hell didn't you tell me this last night?" he snaps, picking up his phone to call the homicide division to bring them up to speed. When he puts down the phone, he faces Damon again.

"Can you put an APB out on her?"

Before he can open his mouth, Bonnie and Brady burst into the room. While Atticus orders the APB, Damon pulls out a city map. Bonnie, Brady each take a section to start searching for her while Damon and Shane will go down to the nightclub to speak with the manager. After sharing a quick hug with his best friends, Damon flies outside to his car, spins the wheels and heads downtown to start looking for the love of his life.

* * *

"Damn it," Enzo snaps, fighting the urge to slam his phone to the ground.

"Still nothing?" Lucy asks as they turn the corner to walk into another bar.

"I don't know what it is about that girl," Enzo starts to say, shaking his head. "What if she was taken again? She didn't have anything but those couple of pills you had, she could die if she's all alone."

"She could but we're going to find her before that happens."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. We have no idea where to even begin looking."

"What about the cop?"

"She wouldn't go back to him. I know she won't admit it, at least not yet, she still has feelings for the guy. I'm no shrink but I think she feels shame."

"Oh Enzo," Lucy says, giving his hand a squeeze before he opens the car door for her. Once she's safely inside, he skirts the hood and jumps in behind the wheel. Backing out with a squeal of his tires, he careens into traffic to go to the next place on their list.

* * *

Stepping into the nightclub, Damon starts looking around immediately. When Damon tightens his lips and starts to stalk towards the bar, Shane holds him back, cautioning him that he needs to hold it together. Nodding, Damon walks beside his boss and homicide Detective Jack Carlucci. Once they reach the bar, the detective asks to speak to the manager. A few moments later a man gestures for them to come into his office. Although the man tells them to take a seat, Damon is too antsy so he stands, his arms crossed while Jack begins to question Peter Donovan. Handing him a picture of the tattoo and a picture that they had of Trevor on file as he had an arrest record, the man looks them over diligently.

"Do you know him?" Shane asks, giving the man his full attention.

"Yeah this is Trevor Mills. He worked for me for a couple of years but he quit almost a year ago. He said he had a better offer. Did he do something?" Mr. Donovan asks, handing the pictures back to Shane. He and Damon share a skeptical look before Detective Carlucci asks if they can look around.

"Sure," Mr. Donovan says, claiming he has nothing to hide. He leads them into the basement but they can't find anything out of the ordinary. When Shane asks about the books, he hesitates wondering if he should demand they get a search warrant but he knows he's done nothing wrong so when they get back to his office, he hands it to Shane. Thumbing through it, he looks for anything that could be connected to this club, a warehouse, another club anything. When Shane sees the address of an old abandoned mill outside of the city on highway 60, he hands the man his books back and after thanking him for his cooperation, Atticus presses his palm against Damon's shoulder. "Let's go for a ride."

* * *

While Detective Carlucci takes his own car, Damon hops into the passenger seat beside Shane. With each moment that passes, Damon feels more edgy, so much so that he starts tapping his foot on the carpeted floor and his hand patting his thigh to the same rhythm. He's nervous and full of pent up energy and all he wants to do is find her. He's still so in love with her and so worried. He just has to get to her before anything else happens. Pulling out his phone, he texts Enzo to see if he's come up with anything. When he gets back a 'no' written in capital letters, he hangs his head. Atticus looks over at him, his silent question confirmed wordlessly when he sees the look on Damon's face.

Since Jer and Stef are out looking for her too, Damon texts them but again receives a resounding no with Jeremy also mentioning that he needs to get Stefan home to rest his leg. Damon texts back to take care of themselves and he'll call them as soon as he can.

By the time he finishes texting Bonnie and Brady too, Shane is pulling into the parking lot of the abandoned building. It's made of concrete, stands four stories high and is out in the middle of nowhere on the road to Wickenburg. Getting out of the car, Damon notices that several of the windows are shattered so it's quite likely that kids party here. Shane gets out to speak to Jack while Damon looks at the property. It has metal fencing around the entire perimeter so Damon decides to see if there's any break where it might have cut. Walking around the building, they come across a homemade fire pit which only confirms Damon's suspicions about this being a hangout for kids. He curses rather loudly when he doesn't find any place where the fencing has been snipped. When he hears a car drive up, Damon walks the rest of the way around the building and then walks over to where Shane is talking to a man.

"Damon, this is Mr. Andrews. He owns this property."

"Mr. Andrews," Damon says, offering his hand which the man shakes. After Jack and Atticus explain everything to him, he readily agrees to let them have a look inside. Once he removes the padlock, they walk in, immediately struck by the dank smell. Waving his hand across his face, Damon walks around. Since it's still daylight, they have plenty of light to look around but the man hands him a flashlight before pointing at a door. Stating that it leads to the basement, Damon nods and carefully walks down the rickety metal staircase. It's wobbly and dangerous so Damon takes a deep breath and continues down. Moments later he's joined by both Shane and Mr. Andrews. They go through every nook and cranny in the basement, scour every inch of the building but their hopes dashed when once again they come up empty handed.

After thanking Mr. Andrews, the three men drive back to the city and straight to police headquarters. Although Shane rather doubts that Damon will comply, he tells him to go home and that he'll call him if anything comes up with the APB. Nodding, he decides to go home to check on his brothers before he starts canvasing the shady downtown area once again.

As soon as he gets there, he runs into his house, relaxing for the first time today when he sees that they're okay. "Did you find anything?" Stefan asks, from where he's sitting on the couch with his leg elevated on a pillow.

"No," a despondent Damon adds, traipsing into the kitchen to get a cold bottle of water. As much as he'd like to chug a bottle of Jack, he needs to keep his mind alert. Turning around, he stares out of his kitchen window. The sun is sinking into the horizon. The sky is a wash of pinks, oranges and yellows all blending together to create a beautiful canvas.

 _Having just made love, they're laying together in the box of his pickup. He found a secluded spot to park and without even planning it, lust and deep desire was just too much to overcome. Damon loves the feel of her body snuggled flush against his. While gently caressing her bare back, he drops a kiss to the crown of her head. They're still bare but are watching the sun set in the western sky. The play of colors is vivid and intense. "The sunset is just gorgeous this evening," Elena remarks._

 _"Not nearly as gorgeous as you are, my love," he whispers then rolls her beneath him for round two._

Snapping out of it when he feels his brother's hand on his shoulder, Damon drops his atop Jer's and gives it a squeeze. After a few seconds, Jeremy leaves him alone. Damon shakes his head, he belly is churning and the lump in his throat is thick. God, he wants her back. "Where are you? Are you alive? And if you are, am I ever going to see you again?" Dropping his face into his hands, he knows he'll never be whole again if he has to live in a world that she's not a part of.

* * *

Elena breathes a sigh of relief when she finally reaches her destination. She's sweaty, sick to her stomach, her head is pounding and all she wants to do is bang her head against a wall. On shaky legs, she makes her way along one of the barren trails. Growing up not far from here and with her dad being an anthropologist, the two of them probably spent thousands of hours exploring the place.

She hasn't been back since he died but still she knows this is where she wants to be. She veers off of the trail continuing on till she reaches the incline. Swallowing thickly, she starts to climb it but when the loose dirt shifts under her shoes, she slides down, landing with a mouth full of gravel. Although her hands are trembling, she wipes herself off and starts to climb up again, this time she reaches the top.

Slowly but surely she makes her way into the ruins. It doesn't take her long to find the hidden entrance. It's closed to the public but she and her dad happened to find it while exploring. He was given free rein of the place because of his job. It's dark now but she managed to pick up a lantern and some water bottles at a store before hitchhiking out here.

She sighs with relief when she finally finds the little cave that she was looking for. Once inside, she collapses to the stone floor. She wants to lie down but she can't lay still, her body is rebelling and in need of drugs. This is a fitting place for it to end she thinks in a moment of lucidity. She's tries to remember all the fun times she had here with her daddy but it's impossible. The only thing that plays over and over in her mind is the look on Amara's face when the life drained out of her. Nor will she ever forget that sound, the gasping sound when her throat was slit. Closing her eyes tightly, she tries to blot it out but nothing works.

When she snuck out of Enzo's apartment early this morning, she made up her mind that she's going to fight for her life or die in the process. She will not be the cause of any other unnecessary deaths. Tears begin to fall down her cheeks when once again the image of Amara in death fills her mind and haunts her subconscious. Closing her eyes, she squeezes them shut tightly for a few moments. With resolve filling her, she reaches into her pocket. Pulling out the last of Lucy's pills, she swallows two of them down, saving the last for later. Right now, all she wants to do is escape if only for a little while.

 _"Congratulations, Elena. You're now a member of my team," Captain Shane says, shaking her hand vigorously. Smiling widely for a photo, her eyes happen to notice the raven-haired man with brilliant blue eyes standing off to the side. His electric gaze focused solely on her._

Feeling chilled, she pulls the little throw out of her backpack and covers herself up. Too loopy from the pills, she drifts right back to sleep.

 _"I need it desperately but please don't do this," Elena pleads, her eyes drifting back and forth to his cold black ones and to the dark skull and viper tattoo that's adorning his forearm. He taunts her with his sinister sounding laugh. She tries to get away but he pins her down and forces himself onto her and when he's done, he wretches her arm at an unnatural angle and then shoves the needle in painfully before pushing down on the plunger._

Her own screams wake her up, her lips quivering in fear. When she sees a spider, she screams and skitters away. As soon as it disappears, she lays down again, praying that if death claims her that it will come quickly. Soon her eyelids get heavy again and sleep pulls her under.

 _"Cheers," Brady says. Raising their shot glasses, they all four click them together and swallow back their tequila. They're celebrating a successful first case, breaking up a theft ring. When her eyes meet his, she finds herself drowning in them. It's only when she feels a nudge against her arm that she snaps out of it. Turning to her left, she sees Bonnie smiling at her with a knowing look in her eyes._

Groggily, she rolls onto her belly, laying her head on her bent arms. Turning her head from left to right, she finally finds a comfortable spot and then relaxes back into her drug induced stupor.

 _With her arms draped around the toilet seat, she vomits incessantly, her stomach roiling with nausea and cramps. Every time she retches, her head start to throb even harder. Sweat is beading on her forehead and dropping into her eyes. Although she's as weak as a newborn kitten, she struggles to raise up when her belly begins to churn and heat up again. With only bile coming out, she collapses in a heap on the cold tile floor, darkness consuming her._

 _She wakes up when she feels a sweaty smelly body sliding over her. As hard as she tries to escape his brutality, she's not strong enough. He grunts before finally rolling off of her. Horrified and crying about what's been done to her, she just wants to die. Her body is sick and sore, she's rail thin and yet still her body craves the beast. The only thing that keeps her hanging on is maybe seeing him again. She can't even remember his face, all she remembers is the incredible azure blue color of his eyes. Feeling her arm jerked back, she grimaces when he jabs the needle in and in the next moment, her eyes close in euphoria as the drug cocktail surges through her body with each pump of her still beating heart._

When her belly begins to cramp, it's enough to wake Elena up. Shivering, she sits up, brings her knees up, wraps her arms around them and rocks. Tears are flooding her eyes as her mind flood with memories. Shame begins to billow out of control in her body. Despite the haziness of her memories, she knows the rapes were real. She picks up a rock and starts scratching at her arms, watching mesmerized as blood begins to bead up along the length of it. Surprised that it doesn't hurt, it feels cathartic in a way so she does it over and over and over until her white shirt sleeves are dotted with spots of blood. She starts screaming aloud when everything begins to bombard her at once, making the physical and the emotional pain she's feeling much more acute and visceral. As it begins to overwhelm her, she pulls the last three pills out of the bottle and quickly swallows them down. She rocks back and forth, back and forth till her eyes start to droop. Unconsciously she topples over, her body defeated but her mind still running, never ending like the wheels of a bicycle.

 _Hearing a gurgling like gasp, Elena looks up to see the color wash out of Amara's face. The man looks up, his eyes looking at the other woman before he turns on her again. When he takes a step, Elena sees Amara's body topple over in the booth, blood pouring from the gaping wound in her throat. Too stunned to move, she suddenly yanked and dragged away by Enzo. The next thing she knows is that he's shoving her in to the back of a taxi, yelling at the driver to go._

Just wanting it all to go away, Elena covers her head with the blanket and tries to blot it all out but she can't. Still high, it doesn't take long for her to nod off again, images of terror blending with moments of consciousness repeat endlessly in her mind making her plead for the end to come soon.

* * *

 _Big, big thanks and much love to my dearest friend Eva._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. I cannot say it enough. You're the best._

 _Chapter title: 'You Can Only Get So High' by Richie Sambora._

 _I did post the prologue for "Tomorrow". It's set in WW2 in Czechoslovakia. The Damon and Elena are so innocent and so precious in "Tomorrow". I love them dearly._

 _Be safe, have a wonderful weekend. Thank you again._


	15. Broken Wings

Elena has been missing for more than forty eight hours now. Damon's head is swimming with every manner of horrible things that may have happened to her. She could be anywhere by now. Two days is certainly long enough for her to have boarded a plane, she could be on the other side of the world for all he knows... and it's killing him.

Although he knows Enzo isn't responsible, she is a grown woman, he can't help but feel a little ambivalence towards him. Damon does try to keep it to himself though because Enzo and Lucy may be the ones who inevitably find her. He phones or texts him.. he doesn't know how many times a day.

As far as the Trevor angle goes, Detective Carlucci and his men are trying to find out all they can about the man, including any connection he may have had to the Lockwood dynasty among others. There's no doubt in Damon's mind that he had something to do with Elena's initial disappearance. Even though he doesn't have an ounce of proof, he knows because of the visceral fear he saw in her eyes when she saw the man's body.

Coming to a halt at a stop light, Damon picks up his phone to see if there's anything from anyone, not just Enzo. Stefan and Jeremy are still staying at the house. Everyday they go out to look for her too and everyday they find nothing. Although he's on the verge of surrendering to his despair, he knows that somehow, someway, he needs to keep it together because she's out there somewhere. He needs her as much as he hopes that she needs him.

The thought of her dead somewhere tears him up inside. What if she's been killed and left to decompose in a ditch or in a shallow grave? What if she's never found or if her bones have been scattered by animals as they pick at what little flesh is left on them? Grisly thoughts plague his mind and refuse to let up. Between wake and sleep, she's always, always with him. His memories of her, both good and bad bring tears to his eyes when the tendrils of despair insidiously weave themselves into his mind and into his heart.

Usually he only lets the mask drop when he's under the cover of darkness. It's especially hard when he's laying in bed, running his palm over the empty space where she used to lay. The thought of spending the rest of his days never knowing what has become of her is a daunting and terrifying prospect. Not only that but he just can't allow himself to believe that she's selling her body for drugs, not now, not ever.

Despite what she did in his living room, he can't believe that she'd ever sink to such depths. If he finds her alive, he promises himself right here and now that he'll forgive her anything. Even if they don't find their way back to each other, he wants her to be healthy and happy. When the light turns green, he steps on the gas pedal, driving the rest of the way to the school. After parking his car, he takes a few deep breaths to try to get in the right frame of mind to play his part.

Barely taking a few steps towards the building, he's nearly knocked over when Andie throws herself on him. Even though he's playing a part, he and Andie aren't in the best place right now. His character is trying to work things out with her but he's also the man who loves Elena. It turns his stomach to even think about pressing his lips against someone's whose name doesn't start with an E.

"Um, you smell good. What cologne are you wearing?"

"Tom Ford." he smirks, waggling his brows at her teasingly.

"The good stuff," she murmurs, burying her nose behind his ear to sniff at him a little more.

"Andie, come on," he says, pulling away from her.

"What's the matter with you? You act like someone kicked your puppy," she snaps, glaring at him with a stern look on her face.

"It's not that, Andie, I'm just not in a good mood today. I'm tired, we have midterms next week. I think I need something to get me over the hump," he mentions, hoping she'll take the bait.

"You could ask Kai. He knows the right people," she adds cryptically. Her response genuinely surprises him. He really hadn't considered Andie to be involved in this. The reason he hooked up with her in the first place was because he could see that she knew the right people but he also believed that she was rather naïve. But perhaps he's getting a little too old for this job or else the stress of missing Elena is beginning to take its toll. He needs to sharpen his game. He has no idea how far some of these drug kingpins will go to stay in business. Murder is always a distinct possibility.

"Really?" he asks. "I don't exactly get along with him but if you could... you know ask..., that would be great." He laces their fingers together as they continue to walk towards the building.

"Well, I'm not really involved with him, I don't want to be. We dated for awhile but he cheated. I wanted to kill him after that."

"You're full of surprises today, Andie," Damon laughs, pulling his hand free so he can open the school's door for her. "Do you know anyone else who might be able to help me out?"

Biting on her lower lip, Andie pulls Damon off to the side of the hallway, "I know there are others but mostly the stuff comes from Kai."

"Do you think the dead guy was his dealer?"

"It's possible. Kai hangs around with all kinds of less than stellar characters outside of school. But we all know that someone supplies him with the stuff."

Nodding, Damon swallows past the lump in his throat and then forces himself to kiss her hard, leaving her panting when he breaks their connection. "I need to get to class, bye Andie." He winks at her before disappearing into the crowd of students as he heads towards his first class.

When he happens to notice Brady, he grabs onto his arm and pulls him into an empty class room. He tells him all about his conversation with Andie. Brady slips out first while Damon waits several minutes before hurrying out, ducking into the classroom just as the teacher is about to pull the door closed.

Minutes pass like hours till finally lunch break arrives. He doesn't really want to spend it with Andie, he gets something from the cafeteria and finds himself a secluded little spot outside. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he quickly texts Enzo, dropping his chin to his chest in frustration when once again there's no news.

After ending the call with him, he checks in on Stefan and Jeremy. Maybe it's because that he's always been tight with his brothers, he needs to reassure himself that they're safe. Glancing at his watch, he jumps up and heads back to into the building to go to his bio class.

* * *

Although he knows that he doesn't even have to look at the screen to see who it is, Enzo does it anyway. As soon as he texts him back that no news can be good news, he stuffs it back in his pocket. He feels for the guy because it's obvious that he's completely in love with her but Enzo has a business to run too.

But with all of that said, he knows that he cares about Elena and the last thing he wants is for her to end up dead. He'll never understand how she totally and completely became family to him and to Lucy. It's unfathomable but there it is.

He finds himself in the same boat as Salvatore, shuddering at the thought of what those goons might be doing to her... if she's been kidnapped again. He only hopes she's somewhere safe and far away, he just wishes that she would contact someone, anyone so they would at least know that she's still alive. Feeling his phone vibrate once more, he rolls his eyes and steps away from the crowd that's surrounding him.

"I don't have anything new," Enzo snaps, the irritation in his voice quite evident. He's met with stark silence for a minute or so before the other man speaks. Enzo can hear how despondent he sounds. If he had news, he would tell him in a heartbeat but all of his sources seem to be as much in the dark as the cops are, which is weird. Quite honestly, it makes Enzo suspicious that maybe the people that took her the first time may have snatched her again.

 _"Okay... Enzo, thank you." Then the phone clicks off._

Although he's hates to admit it, he believes that there's a strong possibility that she could be dead. She simply vanished without a trace. Either she's been permanently silenced by whoever doesn't want her to remember her ordeal or if she is alive, she's likely holed up somewhere dying from withdrawal. That is unless of course, she scored herself a hit. As much as he tries to play his cool, cynical self, it bothers him that he doesn't know where she is.

* * *

While putting his books away, Andie comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his middle. Feigning a smile, he turns around and drops a kiss to the tip of her nose. "Are you feeling better, baby?" she asks, giving him room to finish up in his locker. '

"I'm tired why?"

"Were you able to catch up with Kai?" She links her arm with his as soon as he snaps the padlock on his locker closed.

"No, I just briefly saw him but he was gone by the time I walked out of the classroom."

"Um, I could take you to this place that he hangs out. It's actually my aunt's bar."

"Isn't he underage? How does he get into a bar?"

"They serve food there too, that's how he can come and go as he pleases."

"Oh sure, that would explain it. Yeah, let's go. Do you have your car?"

"No, my daddy dropped me off today. I told him that I thought I might be able to find a ride home," she adds, flirting at him with a waggle of her brows.

"Sure, I'll give you a ride home after we're done at your aunt's place."

When they reach his car, he opens the door for her. As soon as she's inside, he skirts the hood, crawls in and then follows her directions to the place. As soon as they arrive, he takes Andie's hand in his. They walk into the establishment, pulling apart only so Damon can hold the door open. Looking around, he sees a pool table along with a juke box and dart boards on one side, a large bar with a mirrored background, bottles and bottles and bottles of alcohol lined up in front of it.

There are several strategically placed TV's, it's a sport's bar, Damon surmises. He jumps slightly when she takes his hand again and leads him towards the bar. As he looks around a little more intently, he sees not only Kai but a bunch of other kids that they have also suspected of having a hand in the school's burgeoning drug business. When he happens to notice the woman that's bartending, Damon knows this is the right place.

"I want you to meet my aunt Abby," Andie insists. By sheer happenstance, the woman look up, smiling when she sees her niece. Waving her over, Andie smiles sweetly then tugs Damon along. Knowing that he's going to have to put on an Oscar worthy performance, Damon wraps his arm around Andie's neck and walks over to the bar with her.

They chat with woman for a few minutes when Damon feigns a coughing fit. With his apologies, he quickly excuses himself to use the bathroom. While inside, he texts Brady to tell them to get the cops here because he's in the belly of the beast as it were. When he comes back out, he approaches Kai.

They step close to the bar in a booth where he happens to notice Abby staring at them but she quickly turns away when Damon's eyes meet hers. Turning back to Kai, he buys a few pills and just as he's about to walk outside, the wail of police sirens gets closer and closer and before he can do anything, an army of cops is storming the bar.

As he watches the cops raid the place, he wordlessly signals Shane that he's going to take Andie home. When he sees his agreeable nod, Damon leads a nearly hysterical Andie outside. After helping her into the car, he drives her home and after walking her to her door, he jumps back into his vehicle and hurries back to the bar just in time to see Abby being frog marched out to an awaiting police cruiser.

* * *

Having spent the night at the precinct, Damon drags himself into his place early the next morning. He's tired and crabby and rather than opting for breakfast, he goes straight to his room and collapses face first on the bed, falling asleep in mere minutes.

By the time he even so much as moves a muscle, it's nearly two in the afternoon. Having OD'd on caffeine all night, the urge to pee wakes him from a sound sleep. Yawning, he gets out of bed and goes directly to the bathroom. It's already so he takes the time to hop in the shower.

Once he finishes and gets dressed, he stumbles out to the kitchen to get something to eat and a can of soda. Tipping it to his lips, he takes a long pull, sighing with relief as the caffeine begins to course through his veins again. Looking up, he smiles genuinely when he sees his little brother. Motioning for Jeremy to take a seat, Damon then does the same. Noticing the serious look on his face, Damon knows that the subject of the conversation is going to be Elena.

"Why are you mad at her?"

"I'm not, I'm concerned."

"But why was she living on the street before she disappeared and why were you okay with it?" Jeremy stares, his eyes fixed on Damon's.

Pushing the chair back a little, Damon starts to squeeze the soda can. Shaking his head, Damon blurts out, "I'm scared shitless, okay? What would you have me do? I tried to get her into a rehab facility when she was in the hospital but she left AMA. She didn't even trust me enough to tell me where she'd been if she even knew or what had been done to her." Scrubbing his hand across his face, he grimaces slightly before looking at Jer again.

"I understand that it must feel like a kick to the gut but you and I both know that It wasn't her fault, Damon. The people that took her, they did this."

"Don't you think I know that?" he snaps, "I didn't even recognize the woman I love and, yes, Jer, I still love her desperately. I want more than anything to find her and help her but I'm not sure if my Elena is still there. I'm scared, Jer."

"Damon, you're my brother. When you hurt, I hurt but we have to find her. We have to. As much as it hurts to even think this way, maybe what was done to her was so bad that her mind simply blotted it out? If she doesn't remember, she couldn't tell you. Or maybe she's afraid to tell you what she had to do to survive? What if she wants to die, Damon?"

"Jer?"

"No, I'm serious Damon. If I went through something I knew I wouldn't recover from, I wouldn't want to see you or anyone else I love either."

"Jer's right, Damon," Stefan adds, hobbling over to the table to join them. "I wouldn't want you to watch me die either."

"Please stop talking about death." Damon snaps, dropping his forehead into his hands in frustration.

Stefan and Jeremy share a look and then Jer continues, "Elena doesn't have any family left. If I were her, I would go somewhere.. a place that holds happy memories. Remember that place where you used to take us camping when we were younger? That's where I'd go. You two have been together for awhile, surely you must know something about her?"

Jumping out of his chair, Damon starts to pace back and forth in the kitchen. Feeling his head begin to throb, Damon stops and leans against the kitchen counter. Pressing his fingertips to his temples, he start to massage them, his mind a whir of everything and nothing.

"Didn't you and Elena like to go out and do things? I mean, you came to the Grand Canyon more than once last summer to see us. The four of us went to Carlsbad Caverns that one weekend. Is there any place that she might go if she wanted to disappear?" Jeremy asks, pulling a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. It's then that Jeremy and Stefan watch as the light bulb goes off in Damon's head. With his mouth parted, he shakes his head a few seconds as if in shock.

"Jer, you're a genius."

"What?"

"I think I know where she might be," Damon blurts out and before Jeremy can get another word out, Damon is already running towards the door.

"Oh no, you're not going alone. You might need help," Stefan says loudly, stopping Damon in his tracks.

"You can't go Stefan. If I'm right, she's in that craggy, rocky area near Jerome. You won't be able to help me on crutches."

"Take Jer then. I'll stay here just in case."

"I love you both," Damon says, awed by his brothers. After giving Stefan a quick guy hug, Damon stuffs his wallet in his back pocket, grabs his keys and phone then runs through the still open door, followed behind by Jeremy who has a hard time keeping up with his athletic older brother.

* * *

With her body in the throes of drug withdrawal, she can't get comfortable no matter what she does. She's hot and then cold, she retches violently with only bile coming out. Her belly hurts from both cramps and the dry heaves. Being inside the cave, she has no concept of time. Weak and dehydrated, her eyes fall shut and then her dreams drift back and forth, the nightmares although all too frequent are sometimes blissfully overshadowed by more pleasant memories. And through it all Damon is always there somewhere. Maybe this is how death comes, soothing her mind, urging her to give up the fight.

 _Walking together along the dirt path, their hands linked together, he points out some vivid pink wildflowers. With a wink from his insanely blue eyes, he stoops over and picks one, threading it in her hair beside the dandelion. Brushing his knuckles over her cheek, he stares at her with so much love and reverence even that it nearly takes her breath away. Before she can blink, he's cradling her cheeks with his palms and joining their lips in a kiss so desperate that it feels like her knees are going to buckle. When their mouths part, he blazes a trail across her cheek and when he reaches her ear, he lovingly whispers, "I love you."_

Incoherent, Elena mumbles nonsense before she drifts back into a stupor, her mind once again taking her to a safer place.

 _Feeling him lace their fingers together, Elena smiles at Damon. With his free hand, he pulls open the door to the zoo's reptile house. They pause to look at the Komodo Dragon, the Rhino Iguana and her favorite, the turtles and tortoises. Urging her forward when the crowd starts to get heavier, they move onto the reptile exhibit. They have a boa constrictor, a huge Reticulated Python, as well as rattle snakes among many others. Shuddering, Elena squeezes his hand and steps in closer to him._

 _"Are you afraid of snakes?" Without saying anything her head bobs up and down animatedly. Letting go of her hand, he wraps her in his arms and drops a kiss to the top of her head. When he suddenly turns away, she watches him stoop down to take a closer look. Suddenly and without warning, he grabs her hand painfully and shoves it towards the snake, its fangs bared and dripping with blood._

Her eyes snap wide open when she lurches upright. Barely coherent and with sweat beading on her forehead and dripping into her eyes, she looks around the dark and dank space. Hearing a hissing sound, she's strangely calm, her mind still lost in her memory of Damon and snakes. And then it strikes, its fangs imbedding just above the top of her boot. Pain immediately begins to explode in her leg. In a way, the prospect of impending death is strangely appealing. With it already swelling, she stumbles back towards the entrance, collapsing half way between the sun's light and the cave's darkness. As her vision begins to blur and her senses dull, the last thing she hears is _his_ voice calling her name.

* * *

 _Thank you Eva! I love you very, very much. You're the best.._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. DE fans are a cut above._

 _Chapter title: 'Broken Wings' by Mr. Mister._

 _I posted the final chapter of "The Truth Beneath the Rose". "Tomorrow" updated yesterday._

 _My friend, Deepwater1978 has a new story, "Family Ties". It's look like it'll be another good one._

 _I would love to hear your thoughts._

 _Be safe and have a phenomenal weekend. Thank you all again. YOU ARE ALL THE BEST..._


	16. It's Me

Following Damon outside, Jeremy jumps into the passenger seat and quickly buckles his seatbelt. Looking over at his big brother, he can see a blend of both fear and determination. Damon pulls onto Interstate 17, at times driving close to 80 miles per hour.

"Do you want to tell me now where we're going?" Jeremy asks, pulling out his phone to text Stefan.

"Jerome, Arizona. It's Elena's hometown. Her mom was a teacher and her dad was an archeologist. She spent days with her dad exploring the caves around Montezuma Castle. I remember her telling me all about it. She and her dad were really tight. He would tell her where she could play and scout around, areas where he knew she would be safe, but the gist of the story is that she knows the area like the back of her hand. I remember her telling me about all the many tunnels and caves that she discovered."

Damon feels a little melancholy beginning to well in his belly when he remembers how her face lit up when she told him about her childhood adventures.

"Jerome sits above what was the largest copper mine in Arizona. It produced an astonishing three million pounds of copper per month. Men and women from all over the world made their way to Arizona to find work and maybe a new way of life. Today the mines are silent and Jerome has become the largest ghost town in America."

He turns to face Damon. "So you think that she's in Jerome?"

"I think she's either in Jerome or she's hiding out in one of those caves. We spent a weekend up there once," Damon adds, keeping his eye on the road. "After her parents died, she went to live with an aunt and uncle but she wasn't close to them at all."

"Where do we go first?"

"Jerome. If she's in town, Mrs. Flowers would know about it?"

"Mrs. Flowers?"

"Only about 450 people live there, Jer. It's a tourist trap now because of the ghosts. She runs a little gift shop downtown plus she used to babysit for Elena when she was a little girl, before she was old enough to go snooping around with her dad. If Elena is there or was there, she'll know."

An hour and a half later, they pull into town. Damon parks right in front of Flowers Gifts and Emporium Shop. With bothering to lock his car, he runs inside, grateful that the old woman isn't tied up with any other customers.

"As I live and breathe, Damon Salvatore!" the woman says, smiling widely at him.

"Hello, Mrs. Flowers. Listen, as much as I would love to stay here and get reacquainted with you, I need to know if you've seen Elena."

"No, dear. She was with you that last time I saw her."

"You're absolutely certain? It's important."

"Yes, I'm positive."

Nodding, Damon apologizes then runs out of the store and hops back into his car. He shifts I into reverse and quickly turns around to get back to the highway. As soon as he sees the exit for Montezuma Castle National Monument, he gets in the right lane to exit. Because it's a part of the United States National Park Service, Damon has to stop and pay an entrance fee. After doing so, he quickly drives to where he remembers that Elena took him hiking. As he stares at the mountain of rocks and the Indian ruins, he knows that it's a daunting task. Realistically Damon knows that they have a snowball's chance in hell of finding her but he can't not try.

Getting out of the car, they stare up at the cliff in front of them. "Well Jer, let's go."

They share a determined nod and then begin to climb up the rocky cliff. With utmost caution so as not to disturb the ancient ruins, they check through every room and look everywhere there is to look with no luck. By the time they see daylight again, a couple of hours have passed. In the back of his mind, Damon is terrified that if he does find her it'll be too late. His head is a giant contradiction. He's afraid of finding her and he's afraid of not finding her. And as much as he loves her, he can't help but wonder if he'll ever see his Elena again.

He doesn't mean in the physical sense, he wants her back emotionally too, he wants all of her. But most importantly he wants her to be healthy and happy and most of all alive. Thirsty and tired, Damon and Jeremy climb down the rocks and back to their car. Since they stopped at a Walmart on the way, they bought a few supplies including food and water. Pulling out one of the sandwiches and a bottle of water, Damon takes a long pull. Jeremy parks himself on the picnic table and then texts Stefan.

"Stefan's okay. He said that mom and dad called. They're in Prague."

"Prague?"

"Yeah, I guess they'll be at the university there for a few months but they plan to come back to the states for Christmas."

"Goodie," Damon says, taking the last bite of his sandwich. "You ready to go back up there?"

"Yeah, we can't give up yet. We'd never forgive ourselves if someone randomly finds a body or skeletal remains. I'm sorry, Damon," he adds, realizing that it sounded a little callous.

"You're right but I'm not exactly optimistic. It's a maze, Jer."

"I know, but come on, we're Salvatore's after all," he adds, giving Damon's shoulder a squeeze. With a nod, he follows his brother's lead, the two of them climbing up on top of the structure and behind it this time. Finding another entrance, Damon pulls out his flashlight and starts looking around. Again he comes up empty handed. Leaning against stone wall, he gives it one more shot and finding nothing, he heads outside to look into the castle B structure.

This isn't as well defined as the first one and more treacherous. With Jeremy following behind, they carefully enter, shining their lights as they go from room to room. Tired and despondent, Damon contemplates giving up but he knows that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did. As he's walking backwards towards the caves entrance, he suddenly hears a muffled scream. He and Jeremy share a look and then Damon yells her name, but he doesn't get an answer. He yells Elena again and again while Jeremy shines his light.

"It sounded distant, let's go back to the entrance." Damon's heart is pounding as they hurry out. That's when he hears a cry. He shield his eyes and looks up. His adrenaline spikes when he sees one more cave. Taking a breath, he starts to climb up the face of the cliff. Although more treacherous than he'd like it to be, it's not unnavigable. With Jeremy coming up behind him he grabs onto the ledge and pulls himself up and that's where he finds her, laying at the cave's entrance, half covered in shade while her other half has been exposed to the hot sun. Dropping to his knees, he sees how sunburnt she is. "Elena?" he whispers, brushing his fingers every so wispily along her cheek. After doing a cursory examination of her, he finds the two small marks above the lip of her boot, serous fluid draining out from her badly swollen leg.

"Jeremy, do you have a signal?" When he nods, Damon tells him to dial 911 which he does immediately. Although it seems like hours, it's really only minutes till they hear the whir of the medivac chopper's blades. Rappelling down the cliff side with a litter, the paramedics carefully lift her into it then signal for her to be pulled up.

"Where are you taking her?" Damon asks, shielding his face from the sun as he watches the ascent of her litter till it's safely inside of the helicopter.

"Valley Medical Center."

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Jeremy tells him. Seeing that his brother is in shock himself, Jeremy places his hands on Damon's shoulders, leads him down the mountain and back to his car. With Damon in no condition to drive, Jeremy takes his keys and once he is buckled up, he shifts into gear and takes off down the highway, concern building for both Elena and his older brother.

* * *

As soon as they get to the hospital, they run into the ED. The receptionist hands Damon a stack of paperwork to try fill out for her. Although he understands that she needs to be examined, he's still frustrated beyond reason because he needs to see for himself that she's alive. He knows snakebites are bad but he doesn't know how bad hers is. He just hopes they found her in time. Even though he knows that he has responsibilities and can't end it all, he still struggles to comprehend surviving in a world without Elena in it.

"Jeremy, why don't you go get a hotel room? You don't need to be hanging out here."

"I'll wait a little longer just in case we hear anything." Jeremy pats Damon's leg lightly.

Damon shares a look with him. His belly is churning with anxiety as they wait endlessly to hear something, anything. Standing up, he shakes his head slightly. "I need a bit of air. I am going to get something to drink. Do you want a soda, water maybe?"

"Sure, Damon. Get me a Live Wire Mt. Dew."

Damon nods then walks through the double doors and outside. Pulling what's left of his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, he lights one up and starts to walk around outside. Pulling out his phone, he considers calling Enzo, figuring that he should know that Elena has been found. Not in the mood to talk to him or anyone else for that matter, he texts him instead. Moments later he gets a reply. It only says, "Thank Christ." He also knows that he needs to get ahold of Captain Shane. Tired from the weight of it all, Damon calls his boss. Shane, knowing that Damon won't be able to do his job, tells him to take several days off and that he'll clue Bonnie and Brady in. After thanking him, Damon hangs up, takes a long draw from his cigarette, stamps it out then goes back into the building to rejoin his brother.

* * *

After Damon finally gets a chance to speak to the doctor, the man apprises him of her condition then with Jer trailing behind, leads them to the ICU. He explains that she was lucky, it was a only just a partial envenomation because the fangs hit the top of her boot and didn't embed into her flesh. He also explains but the combination of it and drug withdrawal, she's going to be kept in intensive care at least for the next day or so. She's been treated with CroFab which is an anti venom.

After Jer detours into the ICU waiting room, Damon walks into her room. Her nurse is reading the monitors and checking her IV site and her other machines. She tells Damon that he can stay no longer than fifteen minutes. It's not fair he thinks, he wants to spend a lifetime with her. Enveloping one of her hands between his, he leans over and presses a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

Dropping his mouth to her ear, he whispers, "Please get better, Elena. No matter what becomes of us, I'll always be here for you. And lastly Elena..., I love you more than I ever thought possible. Concentrate on you, on getting well. I need to see your big brown eyes like I need my next breath." Before he even has a chance to sit down, his time is up. Reluctantly he releases his grip on her hand and then backs towards the door, pausing at the threshold for a few seconds to take one last long look at her.

After making sure the nurse has his phone number and after securing a promise that they'll call if anything comes up, Damon joins Jeremy in the waiting room. He sits down for a few minutes then the two of them leave the hospital to go find a place to sleep for the next couple of days. Pulling into the parking lot of the motel, they go inside. The place is next door to the gift shop. As proprietor of both, Mrs. Flowers keeps herself busy in this tourist trap of a town.

Jeremy rings the bell and then the woman comes out. "Damon, you're back?"

"Mrs. Flowers, this is my brother Jeremy. We're going to need a room for a few days."

"Of course, did you find Elena?"

"Thankfully yes but she's in bad shape. She was bitten by a rattlesnake and was very dehydrated."

"Oh no, is she going to be okay?"

"They don't know. She's in the ICU at the hospital in Cottonwood."

"I haven't seen her since the two of you were here several months ago. Elena was such a thoughtful child, quiet, contemplative yet kind and soft hearted too. She would get her feelings hurt so easily. Her parents were wonderful people. They were teaching at the reservation when they had an outbreak of the Hanta virus. Both of them succumbed to it. After that she went to live with an aunt and uncle who lived in New Mexico. Although it's gorgeous there, she just wasn't happy with them. She used to write to me from time to time. But that's enough of my ramblings, you two both look like you're about to fall over from exhaustion."

With her fingers dancing on the keyboard, she gives them each a room key while Damon gives her his credit card. By the time they're done checking in, they are both dead man walking as the saying goes. Following the two boys outside, she leads them to their room and after saying goodnight, she leaves them to their own devices.

* * *

One day bleeds into two, two in three and finally it's four days since they found her. Spending all of his free time at the hospital, Damon is beyond the point of exhaustion. With a nod to Jeremy who's sitting at her bedside texting Stefan, he excuses himself to use the bathroom and get them each something to drink.

His body is urging him to run, to get away from this place but he can't so he settles on taking a walk around the block. When he stumbles upon a minimart, he goes inside to buy another pack of cigarettes. He'll quit again, he just doesn't know when that will be. After buying two bottles of soda too, he goes back outside. Looking around, he sees a park. Needing a few more moments of solace, he walks over and plops himself down on the bench. Damon pulls out a cigarette and then sits back to breathe in some fresh air for a few minutes.

* * *

Although his attention is on his phone, Jeremy's is startled up when he feels fingers lightly grazing his arm. Snapping his head towards her, he smiles widely when he sees her eyes open and staring at him. Sliding his chair back, he gives her hand a squeeze then runs out of the room to get the nurse. Glancing at his watch, it's been about twenty minutes since Damon left. Even though he's certain that he would want to be here, he's also knows that he probably needs a few minutes and that he'll be back shortly anyway. As soon as the nurse tells him that he can go back in, he slides his chair over and sits down next to her. He can see that she's in pain by the way she grimaces and by the stark pallor that colors her skin. Her eyes are lackluster and dull and yet he knows that the girl his brother loves is still in there, somewhere.

She surprises him when she takes his hand. With moist eyes and a raspy voice, she asks, "Where is he?"

"He's here, Elena. He left a little bit ago to use the bathroom and to get something to drink. He'll be back soon and boy will he be glad to see that you're awake." Just as his mouth opens to say something else, he hears a crash. Looking over his shoulder, he sees Damon standing in the threshold with his mouth hanging open, his stare fixed on her and the soda spilling all over the floor.

* * *

"Elena," Damon murmurs, his eyes as wide as saucers as he hurries to her bedside. Knowing that they need some privacy, Jeremy tells them that he'll find a housekeeper to mop up the spilled soda and then walks out, pulling the door closed behind him. Damon leans over and drops a kiss to her forehead then takes her hand after he takes the chair that his brother vacated.

"I've been so worried about you," he says softly, dropping his forehead onto her hand. With his emotions overwhelming him, tears come easily. Feeling her hand in his hair, he looks up, his moist eyes meeting hers.

"I'm sorry that I scared you. How did you find me?"

"How do you know that it was us?"

"Damon, you're the only one who would've known where to look. It isn't rocket science," she adds, fingering the hair on his forehead. "You look like death warmed over. I want you to go to your motel right now and get some sleep."

"I don't want to leave you. I love you, Elena. I'll never not love you."

"Oh Damon," she whispers, tears now tumbling down her cheeks. "The last thing I want to do is to hurt you anymore than I already have. I nearly died. I thought that I wanted it, welcomed it." She drops her eyes to their joined hands for a few seconds before meeting his again. "Because of you, I've been given another chance. Please understand that I need to work on myself first."

"I do understand," he admits, although he can't deny that his heart is twisting painfully because she didn't say that she loves him back. He knows that she's not well, neither emotionally or physically. He glances down at her leg, it's raised up on a pillow.

Emotional pain is so much more devastating leaving Damon to feel like his heart is being ripped out through his throat. Despite how much he hurts inside, he also knows she's right, she needs to get help or this scenario, finding her near death will repeat itself till one day he'll find her too late. "Not long ago you didn't even know who I was. I'm afraid that if I leave, you'll forget me again."

"I won't forget. I know that it will be hard but I need to look into rehab, Damon. I can't live like this, not anymore. I've beaten death twice now, I don't know if it'll happen a third time."

"Elena?"

"No, it's something I need to do, not for you, I have to do it for me. For now I want you to go back to your motel and get some rest."

"But?"

"No buts, okay? I need to do this on my own. I promise you that I'll keep in touch but you need to let me do this for me."

"Alright, I'll go. But know this, Elena, you're the strongest woman I've ever known. I have faith in you."

"Goodbye, Damon." she whispers.

Leaning over, he stares into her eyes, her tears mirroring his own. With her subtle nod, he joins their lips in a kiss. For one second in time, the past several months fade away. When he pulls back, he drops one more to the tip of her nose then turns around and walks out of her room and as hard as it is, he does it without looking back.

* * *

 _Thank you Eva. I love you dearly. I appreciate so much your wisdom, insight and your enduring friendship._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. I simply cannot say that often enough._

 _Chapter title: "It's Me" by Alice Cooper._

 _"Tomorrow" is in progress._

 _I do post teasers on my scarlett2112 facebook page. For example, I make pictorials of my stories using an app. I post them there. I put Elena's wedding dress from "San Francisco" there. I'm working on a turn of the century short story. I'll be posting some of the Edwardian era dresses that I'm describing. Feel free to have a look._

 _Have a terrific day._


	17. Jeopardy

Walking outside amidst the red rocks at Sedona, Elena starts to climb. When she finds a plateau, she sits down to admire the scenery from her perch. She's glad that she chose this rehab facility if for no other reason that the spectacular view. And really it's not just that, she truly believes these people are trying to help her. Although it's hard, she struggles with the urge to shoot up every hour of everyday but it's been three weeks now that she's had anything. After spending the next hour just staring out into space, she climbs down and starts to walk back towards the building to get something to drink and maybe a snack. Stepping into the building, she smiles when one of the other clients passes her to go outside. She looks at the soothing color of the walls and the tiled floor. It's all earth tones and Native American art and atmosphere. They use a holistic approach to addiction recovery. Elena knows that being entirely drug free is her only real option.

The place has a garden where they grow much of the food for their meals. They have family style dining. The food they serve is all fresh and it tastes amazing. They use grains such as flax, brown rice and quinoa, it's all very natural. She goes into the kitchen to get herself a couple of bottles of water and a cluster of her favorite green grapes and then retreats to her room to write in her journal. Her room is light and airy. It has a large window with horizontal blinds, a beautiful brightly colored fabric picture adorns one wall. There's a ceiling fan above her bed which she loves quite honestly. It feels good to have light breeze blow on her while she's laying in bed. The comforter is white with several brightly colored throw pillows laying on it to add some color to the room. She has a private bathroom with both a shower and tub. Although Damon has always been the one to enjoy a bubble bath, she will admit that she has come to love them too.

Plopping down on the mattress, she opens the book and the first name she sees is his. "Damon, I miss you more than I can even come up with the words for," she starts to write. Dropping the pen, she touches her fingertips to the letters that spell his name. On her bad days and she's had a few since she arrived, she has had to fight every minute not to call him to take her away from here. But after everything she's done, she's beginning to remember things that happened to her. Although much of it is terrifying, she knows that the only way to heal is to let it in so she can begin to put the pieces of her life back together.

Picking at her cluster of grapes, she pops a few into her mouth, savoring the sweet and juicy fruit. One of the clients here has as an accent like Enzo's. He's funny and makes her smile. She doesn't know why Enzo and Lucy took her under their wing and gave her a safe space to sleep at night, but she'll always be grateful to them. Terror strikes deep and viscerally when she sees the life drain out of Amara in her nightmares. She awakens drenched in sweat and not recognizing her own screams too often than she cares to admit. All of the nightmares are scary but it's ones with the big bulky arm bearing the snake tattoo that chills her to her very core.

In her dreams, she sees _him_ and recognizes some of the beautiful things they shared. There is one other man, she can never see his face because he's always wearing sunglasses but she can remember him being kind to her. Feeling tired, she closes her journal, pops another couple of grapes into her mouth and then lays down. Burying her face in her pillow, she closes her eyes, hoping for a respite from the terrors that arise from her subconscious.

* * *

In the few weeks since he's last seen her, Damon, along with Brady and Bonnie, have infiltrated another school. This time they were able to break up a car theft ring rather quickly. When he sees the road sign for Sedona, his belly begins to roil so much so that he can suddenly taste the bile at the back of his throat. He has no idea what to expect when he sees her again. Is she going to end things with him once and for all? The thought of it tears at him making him uncharacteristically nervous, even more so than he has been since this whole ordeal with Elena began all those months ago.

Picking up another cigarette, he lights it up and takes a pull. There's a few left in the pack. When it's empty, he's quitting. Stefan and Jeremy have been nagging him incessantly to stop. Really, how can he expect her to deal with her addictions if he can't give up one of his own.

When he reaches the exit, he flips on the blinker and leaves the interstate, driving until he reaches her rehab facility. After parking his car, he gets out and walks slowly towards the entrance, his heartbeat ratcheting up, beating even harder with each step he takes forward. Pulling open the door, he walks over to the help desk and asks to see Elena. The woman directs him to go outside and after thanking her, he puts one foot in front of the other, forcing himself forward.

He can't seem to shake the feeling that he's walking towards the gallows. He has to admit that this is a beautiful place and since she loves nature, he's certain that this facility is a good fit for her. Raising his hand to shield his eyes, he looks around, finally seeing her in the distance, chatting with another guy. Whether it's another client or a counselor or someone she's interested in now, he doesn't know. Still, it makes the butterflies in his belly spin enough to make him feel nauseous. Taking a breath, he starts to close the distance between them.

Since she hasn't noticed him yet, he has a chance to really look at her. She's gained weight, her skin is glowing, her hair is shimmering as the sun reflects off of it. All in all, she's a new woman from what he can see. Is she a new woman who will still want them or she is a new woman who wants to start over, leaving him and their life together behind? Needing to get his emotions under control, he turns away for a few moments. When he turns back, their eyes meet from across the distance. She smiles and says something to the man and then she approaches him, her expression now serious which does nothing to assuage his building insecurities.

"Hi."

"Elena, you look amazing. This place is good for you yes?"

"It is, I like it here a lot. Most of the programs are for thirty days but I think I'm going to stay a little longer. I'm not quite ready to face everyone yet you know?"

"I want you to do what's best for you. That's the most important thing."

Nodding, she drops her eyes to her feet for a moment before raising them again. "Do you want to walk with me?"

"Of course," he agrees, his steps aligning with hers as they walk further away from the facility and towards the monolithic areas. When they reach the outcropping of rocks, she starts to climb so Damon follows after her. Reaching the top, they sit down on the flat rock and look at the scenery. "It's beautiful here. Knowing you, I suppose you spend a lot of time out here?"

"I do... Damon, I know things are unsettled between us now. I told you at the hospital that I need to think about me right now. You've been a rock for me, you saved me and it kills me to think that I'm hurting you but I need to know me again before I can even begin to think about us." Her heart is breaking on the inside as she reaches up to palm his cheek for a moment. Deep down she knows that she loves this man but after everything that she's done, she doesn't understand how he can still be here.

"I won't deny that it hurts, Elena, but I don't want you to worry about me. You need to use this time to heal and put your life back together. I want to be part of your new life more than anything but know this..., even more than that, I want you to be healthy and happy... even if that means I have no place in it. I love you so much but if letting you go is what you ultimately need, I'd do it in a heartbeat." He has to look away for a moment when he feels a hint of moisture begin to well in his eyes. He can't let her see him cry, he won't.

Not knowing how to reply but amazed as always at the depth of is love for her, she settles for, "Are you ready to go back?" Gesturing at the facility, she adds, "We could have something to eat before you drive home?"

"I think I'm just going to go," he says softly. Standing up, he climbs down then waits for her. Although she doesn't want to give him false hope, she doesn't want to deny it completely so she links his hand with hers as they walk side by side back to the building and outside to his car.

"Take care of yourself okay?" He stares at her for a few seconds. As he's about to hop into his car, need overrides everything else and so he brushes his lips across hers then gets inside and drives away, pain, loss and uncertainty churning inside of his belly. Only then does he release his tears.

* * *

"I keep having these flashes of memories. Emotionally I don't want to remember but I know I need to if I'm going to be able move beyond this," She says to Tina, one of her counselors.

"That's right, Elena. You're strong and from what I know of your history, you've been through very much. Do you remember when you started using?"

"I didn't choose this if that's what you're asking. One thing I do remember very clearly is being accosted in the courthouse bathroom. I was supposed to testify that day in a drug case. A man came up from behind me, he covered my mouth. The next thing I remember is being in a dungeon like room. It was there that I was forcefully injected with heroin. I didn't want it, I tried to fight but the men holding me down were too strong. After that my memories are hit and miss if that makes any sense."

"It makes sense, Elena. I'm sure there are many things that you don't want to remember from your captivity. It's completely legitimate to not want to but you have to if you're going to put this behind you. I know it's bitterly paignful but it is also very necessary," she explains, looking at her from above the rim of her glasses.

Closing her eyes, she sees that vicious, cruel man and somehow it fills her with resolve. Raising her eyes to meet Tina's, she says softly, "At first it was rape but then as the addiction took hold, I submitted to get the drugs."

Although it feels like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders for saying it out loud, she's also horrified with herself. Tears flood her eyes but she maintains her stare at the woman in front of her. She reaches for a box of tissue to blot her eyes with.

"It takes a very brave person to admit such things, Elena. This is a big and very important step forward." She pauses for a moment to allow Elena to recompose herself. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not okay... but I will be," she admits. With her session over for the day, she thanks Tina and then walks away to have a moment to herself.

* * *

Hearing a rap on her door, Elena closes her journal and puts it in the drawer. Getting up, she walks over to pull it open. Standing in front of her is one of the staff, Honoria.

"Hi," Elena says, looking at her curiously.

"You have a guest Elena. This person isn't on your approved list so I thought maybe you'd want to see who they are before I send them away.

"Did they give you a name?"

"No but the man has a rather sexy accent."

Knowing exactly who it is, a wide smile breaks out on her face. Pulling her door shut, she follows Kim to the lobby where she sees both of them. Their backs are facing her as they're looking out of the big picture window at the grounds. Stalking up to them quietly, she gently taps his arm. When he turns around, he smiles widely too. "Look at you, love," Enzo remarks, his eyes alight.

"I'm so happy to see you both," Elena exclaims, giving Lucy a hug and despite herself, hugs him as well.

"Damon told us where you were. He thought maybe you wouldn't mind if we visited?"

"No, no, I don't mind. I'm glad he told you. Why don't we go outside for a little while? We can talk in private there."

"Lead the way, love," he says, extending an elbow for both her and Lucy. Giggling, Elena latches on and leads them to secluded little area outside in the courtyard. Letting go, she gestures for them to have a seat and then she sits down to Lucy's right.

"How are you doing girl?" Lucy asks, giving Elena's hand a squeeze.

"I remember almost everything, the... um, um, the heinous things," she starts to say, choking on the words. Dabbing the beginnings of tears from her eyes, she then feels Lucy squeeze her hand even more snuggly. When she looks at her friend, uncertainty awash in her eyes, Lucy gives her a subtle nod and then she continues, "the sex in exchange for the heroin, getting kidnapped. I don't know why but my mind seems to have blocked who kidnapped me. I remember being in that dungeon. I can still smell it. it was dank and musty. I can see the man sitting down but his face is still blank. I remember the man that gave me the drugs, you know the dead guy that Damon made me view in the morgue. That was him," she starts to say, her voice choking slightly with emotion.

"Go on," Enzo tells her, knowing that maybe if she talks about it, the fog will begin to evaporate.

"I know that there was a guy in there who helped me. I think that he must have been the one to take me to the hospital."

"You don't remember his face at all?"

"No, I only remember that his hair was dark brown. I think he always had sunglasses on so I couldn't see his face."

"This place seems to be doing you some good. You look wonderful," Lucy adds, smiling at her and then Enzo.

When Elena's smile turns sad and her eyes begin to well up, Enzo takes her hand. "What is it?"

"I'm so sorry about Amara. It's my fault she's dead. It was me he was after," she manages to get out before the tears start to fall down her cheeks.

"Elena, no. It wasn't your fault. It's the fault of the man who killed her. You don't need to place this weight on your shoulders too. He won't escape punishment," Enzo adds cryptically, his eyes suddenly dark and treacherous looking. Digging in her purse, Lucy hands her tissue. After thanking her, Elena dabs her eyes and then suggests that they go for a walk. Nodding, Enzo stands, again taking both of their hands, he leads them down the path that Elena points to. Feeling relived and happy to have them here, she leads them to her favorite place.

* * *

The days continue to pass. Although she's beginning to feel better about things, Elena isn't quite ready to face the world again. Hearing her phone chirp, she rolls over in bed. When she sees that it's Damon again, she sucks her lower lip between her teeth and bites down softly. She lets it ring for a few times then clicks ignore. After she asked him not to come last weekend, he has called almost every other day but she just isn't up to seeing him, not after everything that she's remembered.

She remembers Damon showing her the gold watch that his grandfather gave him and how he told her with such conviction that it meant so much to him. How does she face him knowing that she stole it and then sold it for drug money or the fact that she did let men use her body in exchange for heroin? Her counselor has told her that prostitution and the drug habit go hand in hand, still it doesn't really make it any easier to accept. Forcing herself to get up, she takes a shower and then gets dressed. By the time she finishes, she has another appointment with her female counselor, Marisol.

"Good morning," Marisol says, looking up when the door cracks open.

"Hi. I'm here for my appointment."

"It is that time already isn't it?" she says, glancing at her wrist watch. "Have a seat, I just have to finish up these last couple of sentences then I'm all yours."

Without saying anything, Elena takes a seat in front of her big mahogany desk. A couple of minutes later, Marisol closes her laptop and then turns her full attention to Elena. "Last time you told me that you canceled Damon's, that was his name right?" she asks, continuing when Elena nods. "Have you talked with him since?"

"No, I've been ignoring his calls and texts."

"Why?"

"Because I'm still plagued by nightmares and the urge to use is still strong. I just don't want to hurt him anymore. I know that despite everything I've done, things I'm ashamed of, things that were done to me, horrible things, he still loves me. But I don't know if I can or want to ever be that girl again. I stole something that was very precious to him. I pawned it to buy heroin. I don't know what to say to him, Marisol."

"You said that he still loves you despite everything. I think that means he's already forgiven you for it. Ultimately it's your decision, Elena, but you've made astounding progress. The urge to use will probably stay with you for some time, it's how you deal with it that matters. I'm really proud of how you're processing everything so far. You've charged head on into treatment.. except where your Damon is concerned. Also you need to know that Captain Shane, he said you worked for him would like to pay you a visit if you're up for it," Marisol informs her, pausing to gauge Elena's reaction. Seeing her mouth fidget in her seat a little bit, she continues, "I told him that I would discuss it with you and get back to him. What are your thoughts about that?"

"I'm not sure," she starts to say, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Marisol has come to see that it's a nervous habit of hers. "Can I get back to you tomorrow about it?"

"Of course, Elena," she agrees, smiling at her client. Elena looks up, seeing what time it is, she stands up, thanks Marisol and leaves the room, pulling the door closed before escaping outside herself to find some place to think.

* * *

Upon receiving word that she has a guest, Elena sucks in a breath and then walks out to meet him. When she reaches the lobby, she sees his back turned. She almost has to laugh because it's the same way she saw Enzo, his back turned and staring out of the window, when he and Lucy visited a couple of weeks ago. Squaring her shoulders, she walks over and takes her stance beside him. He turns his head, smiling when their eyes meet.

"Hello Elena."

"Captain Shane. It's good to see you. I mean that sincerely."

"You look great, Elena. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," she says, using her arm to gesture for him to have a seat. Since they're the only ones in the lobby, they can talk here. It's too hot outside today anyway.

"How are you, really?"

"I won't deny that this is the hardest thing I've ever done. I still feel it calling to me but I'm learning to find ways to sublimate it. It's really hard though."

"I wish there was something I could do to make it easier for you."

"Me too," she agrees, smiling albeit with a hint of melancholy.

"I came for a couple of reasons, Elena. The main one is to see how you're doing and the other.. Can you tell me anything about being in captivity? We need to catch whoever did this and put them away for a long time."

She stares at him for a few minutes then drops her forehead into her palms, threading her fingers up into her hair. After several seconds, she turns her face and meets his stare. "I remember it was a dark and musty smelling room. I keep referring to it as a dungeon because that's what it felt like. I remember a man talking to me and then they forcibly injected me with the heroin. And since I've been here, I'm certain that Trevor is the one who...," she pauses, swallowing thickly. Turning away for him for a moment, she knows that as painful as it is to utter that word, she has to in order to heal. "He raped me and used my body in exchange for getting drugs," she finishes , tears filling her eyes at the most painful of her retrieved memories.

"I... I.. I'm so, so sorry to make you relive this nightmare, Elena, but you deserve to have justice. Do you remember any faces? Could you identify any of them if we did a picture line up?"

"No, I've wracked my brain so many times but I just can't seem to break through that last barrier, the one that's obscuring his face," Elena tells him, frustration burning hot inside of her belly.

Although she hasn't asked, Atticus cares a great deal for all of his officers. After warring with himself for a little while, he finally mentions his name. "Damon, he's not himself, Elena. I cannot tell you what to do and what not to do where he's concerned but I am worried about him. He comes to work, he does his job every day but everyday I see him lose a little bit of himself."

"I'm sorry about that, I really am but I can't help him, not now, maybe not ever," Elena puts forth. Even though she knows how she sounds, she has to be honest with herself. He'll find someone else, he'll be able to move on with some girl who doesn't have all the baggage she does.

"Listen, Elena. We won't talk about him anymore. I want you to know that when you're ready and if you want it, you'll always have a job."

"Do you really mean that?"

"I do, you're a good cop, Elena. You're an asset to my squad or any of the other divisions. If you don't feel comfortable coming back to mine, I will give you a recommendation. Think about it okay?"

"Thank you. I promise you that I will give it some serious thought. I'll likely be leaving here at the end of the month. A part of me is looking forward to getting out of here but the other part of me is scared shitless," Elena admits, showing him how her hands are trembling at the mere thought of it. Shane places his atop hers and gives it a squeeze.

"I have to go. You take care of yourself. I'll be in touch." He stands up and starts to walk away. Elena watches him walk through the front door then jumps up and runs after him. Placing her hand on his arm, she stops him in his tracks.

"Please don't let anything happen to him." Her eyes are a wash of concern and fear. Shane squeezes her hand once more than nods his head and crawls into his car. Rolling down the window, he waves to her then pulls out onto the road and drives away, Elena watching till he disappears into the distance.

* * *

 _Huge thank you to Eva. I love you dearly. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you do for me._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. Your support really means so very much to me._

 _Chapter title: 'Jeopardy' by the Greg Kihn Band_

 _My friend Delenasmut has a good story, "Until Death Do They Part." She's just starting out with DE fiction writing._

 _Watch for 'Tomorrow' to update too._

 _Have a safe and wonderful day. Thank you all again._


	18. Memory

With his heart in his throat, Damon slowly walks down the sidewalk towards the front door of the rehab facility. After two months, Elena is ready to come home. He has no idea where home is for her though. Pulling open the door, he looks around and then goes over to the receptionist to ask about her. When she picks up the phone, Damon walks over to a painting on the wall. He looks at it for a moment then walks slowly back to his desk. Chancing a glance to his right, he feels his heart begin to slam against his chest at the same moment their eyes meet. Hurrying over, he takes her bag from her hand and tells her that he'll wait in the car if she needs to say her goodbyes to any of the staff. Sighing, she nods and then walks back outside while Damon watches her retreating form before heading outside to put her luggage in his trunk.

Leaning against the hood, he waits for her to come out. Since he quit smoking again, he has nothing to tinker with so he pulls out his phone to text Stefan. He and Jeremy are back to work at the Grand Canyon. His ankle healed up nicely. Always the big brother, he worries about them but knows that he can't be a mother hen either. His head is dropped as he replies to a joke his brother sent so he doesn't see Elena as she closes the distance between them. As she gets closer, he looks up after finally hearing footsteps.

"Are you ready?" he asks, tucking the phone back into his pocket.

"I'm ready." Nodding Damon opens the car door, pushing it closed again after she takes her familiar place beside him. Backing out of the parking lot, Damon drives, pulling on the interstate exit south to go back to Phoenix. Although he tries to make conversation, telling her about work, Bonnie, Brady and even Jeremy and Stefan, Elena barely acknowledges him. His nerves are firing on all cylinders making his belly roil uncomfortably.

When he sees an exit, he pulls off of interstate to fill his gas tank and to get something to drink. While he's busy doing that, she excuses herself to use the bathroom. Not knowing what she likes, he picks her up an energy drink, one that she used to favor when they were together. So very much has changed though, it's like he's riding with a stranger, he thinks to himself, thanking the clerk after paying for his purchases.

After handing her the can, he pops open his own, takes a swallow and then exits back onto the road. The thick silence is beginning to wear on him. Elena can see the same by the way he's gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles are white. "Stef and Jer are back working at the canyon so you'll have a room at the house. I'll be at work so you'll have time to yourself," he adds, assuming and maybe hoping that she'll come home with him.

"Damon, I can't come home with you. Too much has happened, I don't know how to act around you. I'm not ready to talk about it, I don't know if I ever will be, not with you."

"Elena, I.. I," he starts to say, the protest dying on his lips because he knows that she's already made up her mind.

The hurt she feels when she sees the look on his face is visceral and deep but she steels her spine and continues, "I'm broken, Damon. I'm not myself, nor am I the girl you fell in love with. I don't even recognize that girl anymore. I can't go back, not after everything that's happened."

He chances a look at her but then turns his attention back to the highway in front of him, no words leaving his mouth. His heart hurts like a son of a bitch but somehow he knew that this is exactly what was going to happen. Rather than say something that they'll both regret, he bites his tongue and drives.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she takes a breath and then delivers the kill shot, "Just drop me at Enzo's and let me go."

"Enzo's?" he snaps, his fingering gripping the steering wheel even harder. The set of his jaw is firm, the muscles of his arms taut and unyielding. The thought of her going back there is a blow especially when he remembers how she offered herself as payment to him all those months ago.

"I'm not going to use again, Damon. I won't stay there long. I refuse to put them in any unnecessary danger." She looks up, his gaze is fixed on the road ahead, he doesn't even acknowledge her presence. "Damon, you need to let me go," she repeats, her voice cold and hard so she can get the point across. She hates that she has to hurt him but she feels it's necessary. He may not believe it now, she thinks but in time, he'll find someone else who isn't carrying all the baggage that will ride with her for the rest of her life. She turns away, staring out of the car window, not paying attention to him anymore either when suddenly the car stops. Damon gets out, opens the trunk, pulls her luggage out and sets it on the sidewalk. Without saying a word, he hops back in his car, slams his foot on the gas pedal and speeds away, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

* * *

In a foul mood after everything with her, Damon pulls into the parking lot of his favorite bar. Stalking inside, he marches forward, slamming his palm down on the bar to get Will's attention. When the man looks at him, Damon adds, his voice emotionless, "Bourbon, straight up and make it a double." Without saying anything else, he scrubs his face with his hand and then tightens his lips, anger brewing to a fever pitch inside of him. It's not even really about her ending things, it's the fact that she's going back to Enzo's lair. He is grateful that the guy watched out for Elena for him but he also knows by his reputation that there's usually a price to pay for his cooperation. For once Damon hopes that Enzo really cares about Elena the person and not the cash he stands to gain from her. Chastising himself for even thinking such a thing, he says thanks under his breath when Will slides the bourbon to him. Not wasting any time, he picks up the tumbler and swallows half of it, nearly chocking as it burns all the way down.

By sheer happenstance, Brady, about to take his shot in the game of pool, looks up and notices his buddy. He's very attuned to Damon's moods. He can see by the way he's clutching the glass and the stiff set of his facial muscles that something is really bothering him. After taking his shot, he hands another guy his pool cue then takes the seat beside his friend.

"Spill Damon."

"What are you talking about?" he mutters, not taking his eyes from the amber colored liquid.

"You forget I know you too well. How is Elena?"

"You'll have to ask her," he says cryptically, turning his head for a minute before swallowing what's left in his glass. Snapping his fingers, he orders another for himself and one for Brady.

"Where is she staying? Bonnie called her the other day but didn't want to push her too hard."

"She asked me to drop her off at Enzo's. She wants me to let her go so I did. I know she remembers but she won't talk to me. I'm going to have to figure out what those bastards did to her on my own. There's nothing left Brady, it's over."

"Damon, you don't really believe that? She loves you."

"I don't think so, not anymore. She told me she's not her anymore and that she can't go back. So that pretty much closes the door on us. I have to learn how to live my life without her in it," he adds, shaking his head before taking another swallow of the bourbon when Will fills his glass.

"How do I suddenly turn it all off? How do I not think about where she is, what she's doing and most importantly is she safe? I don't know how to turn it off. As hard as it's been, I haven't called her, I haven't called Enzo either. I don't want her to think that I've turned into a stalker. What am I supposed to do, Brady?" he asks, his throat thick with emotion although he's good at hiding it.

Swallowing down his drink too, Brady gives Damon's shoulder a squeeze then uses it for leverage to turn his seat so he's facing him. After signaling Will for one more refill, he says to Damon, "Well, let's drive the rats out of hiding."

* * *

Picking up the wooden spoon, Elena stirs the ingredients together to make a batch of sugar cookies. Lucy let it slip that Enzo loves them soft and with buttercream icing. She's been here for a few days and although she feels safe here, she also doesn't want to overstay her welcome. Every time she tries to bring up leaving, Enzo and Lucy both shut her down, telling her she's safe and welcome. Although they give her space, they haven't left her alone in the house either. Setting down the bowl, she finds some sheet pans and starts to drop cookie dough on them. When they're filled, she puts the pans in the oven and looks around for a cooling rack or some newspaper like her mother used to use. Once she finds them, she sets them out and then reaches into the refrigerator for a bottle of water.

When she turns, she happens to notice a humming bird fluttering outside the kitchen window by his feeder. As she watches it feed, her mind drifts to Damon. He hasn't called or written or even texted her. Even though she knows that it's a good thing and what she told him she wanted, it still bites. Shaking her head, she looks up just in time to see the bird fly off. The big bad Enzo St. John is partial to humming birds, Elena thinks to herself. She can't help but laugh.

He also has plenty of succulents in the yard. This place is some distance from the apartment that she stayed at the last time. He told her that he needs a place to escape to once in awhile. Hearing the door slam shut, she snaps out of it and checks the oven timer. Pulling the trays out, she puts the cookies on the rack and then starts the process all over again. Hearing the kitchen door creak, she looks up, forcing a smile when she sees Lucy. With a twinkle in her eyes, she sits down on one of the stools. Stealing a cookie, she takes a bite, "Um, girl, these are so good."

"I'm glad you think so," Elena chuckles, sliding two more trays into the oven. "I'm going to put some icing on them after they cool," she adds, not looking up at Lucy.

Lucy can see the melancholy that she tries to hide. She knows it has to do with the one cop but Elena doesn't even want them to mention his name. Enzo told her how crazy the guy is about her and that Elena pretty soundly drove the dagger into him from every possible angle. Busying herself with mixing up the icing, Lucy can't help but stare.

"Elena, why don't you call someone from work? I'm sure they'd be thrilled to hear how you're doing."

"Lucy, I know you mean well.. but I can't do that. I'm feeling better about things now, even to the point of believing that most of it wasn't my fault but I'm not ready to tell them or anyone else as far as that goes." Just as she's finishing her sentence, Enzo walks in, taking a seat beside Lucy and helping himself to a cookie.

"These are quite good, love," he says, taking a second bite. Elena watches him intently for a few seconds before dropping her eyes to the bowl of frosting. When it's nice and smooth, she puts it in the fridge to keep until the cookies are cool enough. There is no doubt in her mind that he overheard what she and Lucy were talking about only moments ago.

"Go on, purge," she says to him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Dammit Elena, you keep saying that you know it wasn't your fault. But do you really believe it? Sometimes I wonder?" But before she can retort, he shushes her and then continues, "God knows that we all do things to survive but you don't realize that you had no choice in the matter. You couldn't decide not to take the drugs, they gave them to you against your will till they had you hooked. That's not your fault."

"I did things, Enzo. How do I begin to tell Damon that I let him have sex with me in exchange for a shot of that amber colored nirvana?" she spits out, turning away when tears begin to well up in her eyes.

"He was using you, playing a cat and mouse game with you. He wanted to break you, degrade you, ruin you. Nothing you could have said would have deterred him. And while I'm spewing cold hard truths at you, that doctor of yours sucks. All they did was brain wash you into accepting your wrong choices, not the fact that you had no control over what was happening to you."

"And when I got back? If it wasn't for you and Lucy here," she starts to say, using her hand to gesture at Lucy. "I'd be prostituting myself on the streets. I actually did it for a couple of days till you took me in. I'd be dead if not for you of a self inflicted bullet to my brain."

Sighing heavily, Enzo stands up and walks over to Elena. She is honestly stunned at the depth of his feelings for her, a cop no less. When he puts a hand on each of her shoulders, commanding her attention, her eyes meet his.

"It wasn't prostitution, Elena, it was slow suicide. That part of you is suffering because of what's been done to you and you did what you had to do, not to live with it. Whether it's clicked yet inside that pretty little head of yours or not, you wanted it to end. And yet here you are, working your ass off and hard to right someone else's crimes, not yours. You're innocent in all this and I think you're badly mistaken if you think your cop doesn't understand that too. Give him some credit, Elena. You know him, you love him, you worked with him and you lived with him." Taking a breath, he glances at Lucy for a moment. When he sees her approving nod, he continues, "You say that you remember, you must know that he's more than capable of appreciating your worth." Enzo only hopes that he's not giving the cop too much credit. He knows that she can't bear much more and if he rejects her, he doesn't know how he'd pull her back again.

"Maybe the time isn't now yet but when you're ready, you should talk to him. Tell him everything and see where the pieces land."

Backing away, she pulls the cookies out of the oven, the edges are a little too brown but they're not burnt yet. Once she sets the sheet pans down, she drops her eyes and shakes her head. "I know you're right, Enzo, and I also know that I can't leave him hanging forever." Even though she hasn't seen him, she knows that he is still waiting, hoping that she'll come back. "I don't know if we can find our way back to each other but he deserves to know why. I owe him that much after everything he's done for me."

He closes the distance and pulls her into his arms to give her a hug. When they pull apart, he takes her hand and turns it palm up. With his other hand, he reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out something gold and shiny. Placing it in her palm, he closes her fingers around the watch. "And when you're ready for that conversation, you can give him a gift."

Opening her hand, Elena's mouth parts and her eyes widen in shock. With tears beginning to fall down her cheeks, she gawps like a fish and then launches herself at him, hugging him hard and tight.

* * *

A little on edge since he hasn't seen or heard from her since he dropped her off at Enzo's, Damon has been keeping busy with Brady's help. Although she's never far from his thoughts, it's good for him to be able to take a short detour. Pausing at Shane's door, he raps on it. When the man looks up, Damon asks, "Boss, do you have a minute?"

As soon as his boss signals for him to step inside, Damon walks in and plops into one of the chairs. After hanging up the phone, Shane gives Damon his full attention. "Shoot."

"Brady and I have been doing a little digging on our own plus we've talked to Detective Carlucci. Nothing makes sense, Captain," Damon starts to say, raking his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Go on."

"The problem is nothing about the Lockwood's makes sense. Tyler is the only one who stood to profit from Elena's disappearance and subsequent memory loss and inability to testify against him. Trevor is the only connection that we could find but there's no proof that lowlife has had any connection with the Lockwood's since he left heir employment a year ago. It also bothers me that Tyler scoffed at the theory that his father would have Elena kidnapped to protect his ass."

"You're about to drive it home, continue," Shane urges. With his gaze fully focused on Damon, he leans back in his chair.

"What if we're wrong?... Each and every time I try to go back to the beginning, starting with the Lockwood family, it's a dead end. It makes me wonder if anyone else would have a compelling reason to kidnap Elena."

"I'm listening?"

"What if it wasn't a case of removing Elena from the equation, meaning the Lockwood's, stopping her from testifying? What if instead it was an act of revenge? What if it's related to one of our cases?" Damon finishes, his eyes unwavering while he stares at Atticus.

"Go for it. Elena joined our squad two years ago. Start from there. I want all three of you on it and leave no stone unturned."

Nodding, Damon jumps up and starts to walk away. When he reaches the door, Shane adds, "Good work, Damon."

"Thanks Captain," he replies, then hurries out, pulling the door shut with a loud bang.

* * *

"Lucy?" Enzo asks when he steps into his house, closing the door behind him. She spend last night with him and they made good use of their time together. Enzo has to chuckle about the fact that even he was a little sore this morning. While hanging up his leather jacket, Lucy comes up behind him, wraps her arms around his middle and lays her head on his finely sculpted back for a few seconds. Closing his eyes, he places his hands over hers and gives them a little squeeze.

Loosening her grip, he turns around. When she sees his face, she asks, "What's wrong?" Enzo snorts but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"Why do you think anything is wrong?"

"I know you Enzo. I can tell by the look on your face."

"Where's Elena?" Using her head, she gestures towards her room.

"I told her to take a nap. She said that she didn't sleep well last night, probably her lingering nightmares or the cop." Looking at the concern on his face, she cups his cheek and repeats, "What is wrong with you?"

Shaking his head, he wraps an arm around her shoulders and leads her towards Elena's room. Finding the door open, Enzo raps lightly on the door frame. Looking up from the pictures she has in her hands, she gives him a small smile. He notices the watch is laying on her pillow. He knows she keeps it close, not wanting anything to happen to it again. Getting up, she turns her music off. When she looks at him again, she too notices the odd expression on his face.

Taking a step inside, he sits down on the bed beside her. "Look Elena, I know you're tired of people asking you what you remember... but do you? Do you remember anything about the people who kidnapped you?"

Wordlessly, Elena stares right through him before dropping her eyes to her now clenched hands. Without looking up, she mentions, her voice barely above a whisper, "I keep thinking about it, trying to find something, remember something, anything familiar but no matter how hard I wrack my brain, I get nothing." Pausing for a moment, she takes a breath then continues, "I vaguely remember the mention of a son. That it was all for him. Tyler Lockwood makes sense, I was supposed to testify against him on the day that I was abducted. Damon told me that the tattooed man, Trevor, right, worked for them but.." she stops, her eyes somewhere distant.

Enzo and Lucy share a look before he adds, "The reason I brought it up is because I found out who killed Amara."

Feeling her heart about to thunder out of her chest, she asks, "Who?"

"Given your line of work, I'm sure you've heard the name Mikaelson?" Enzo watches with rapt attention as the color drains from Elena's face.

Her hearts starts to stammer so hard inside of her chest that her breath catches in her throat. Suddenly her mind is being bombarded by voices and images, one sentence ringing loud and clear, "Officer Gilbert, you took my son away from me so I'm taking you away from your lover."

In shock, her eyes as wide as saucers, she looks at Enzo, uttering, "It wasn't about Tyler Lockwood at all... It was Henrik Mikaelson... " When that name escapes from her mouth, the fog lifts even more.

 _"You've taken my son away from me for twenty years."_

 _"Your son is a criminal who ruined more than one life. I was doing my job."_

 _"Well, I'm doing mine."_

Unconsciously, she starts rubbing her hand over her antecubital space. Shaking her head back and forth, her hand still rubbing that spot vigorously, she's speechless. When Enzo touches her, she jerks away, it's almost as if she can feel the first needle piercing her vein all over again.

* * *

 _Surprise! Please trust me with Damon and Elena._

 _Thank you so much Eva. I love you dearly._

 _Huge thanks to all of you too. I sincerely mean it when I say you are all the very best. Thank you._

 _Chapter title: "Memory' from the musical "Cats"._

 _I did post the first chapter of "The Night We Met" I hope you like it. It's set in the Edwardian era of the twentieth century. I have updated "Tomorrow" as well. It's set during the Nazi's reign of evil in the early 1940's._

 _Have a wonderful weekend. Please click that review button. Be safe and we'll see you all again next week._


	19. The Warrior

Damon has spent the afternoon going through file after file after file. Although Brady helped him quite a bit, he had a doctor's appointment so he had to go. Needing a break, Damon stops at the cafeteria to get something to drink and then walks outside and into the courtyard to get some fresh air. Although a cigarette would be nice, he hasn't touched one since he finished that last pack. He's not about to go buy another one but man, it would be nice right now. Opening up his soda bottle, he sits down on one of the benches. After taking a long swallow, he screws the top back on and then just sits back and lets the sun beat down on him. As soon as he closes his eyes, he feels his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he sees it's Elena. Not quite believing what's right before his eyes, he blinks then finally answers it.

"Hello... Elena?"

 _"Yeah, Damon. It's me," she says softly._

"Are you alright? Do you need anything?" he asks, his heart slamming painfully against his chest. He has to close his eyes for a moment because despite how things are between them, he can't stop loving or caring about her. It's been ten days since he picked her up in Sedona.

 _"Can you drop by Enzo's house to pick me up?"_

Fingering his keys in his pocket, he asks, "Of course. Did something happen?"

 _"I'm okay, Damon, really. I just remembered something. And Enzo, you'll want to speak to him too. I'll text you the address."_

"I know where he lives, Elena"

 _"We're not at his apartment. He has a house outside of Phoenix where he goes to unwind."_

"Seriously?"

 _"Yes, Damon."_

As soon as she tells him what it is, he says, "I'm on my way," he adds, already running towards his car.

 _"I'll see you soon."_

With that, he hears the phone click off. An hour later, Damon pulls onto a gravel road, it's another mile or two before the house comes into view. It's a modern looking adobe home surrounded by succulents and palm trees. As he gets closer, he can see the pool in the backyard. It irks him a little bit when he realizes just how profitable his line of work is. As soon as he parks the car, he stares at the home for a few minutes before getting out and walking to the house. After pushing the doorbell, he turns his back to it to take in the scenery. It is beautiful out here. Someday Damon would like to have a place like this to hideaway from the real world. When he hears the door open, he spins around, coming face to face with the man himself.

"Hello cop," Enzo greets him, stepping aside so Damon can walk in. With a slight nod of his head, Damon does so. Although he has his guard up, Damon relaxes a little bit when he sees her. Their eyes meet for a moment and then without hesitation, she hurries over to him. He bites back the urge to brush that stray strand of hair behind her ear. He can't deny that she looks good. Her skin and hair are glowing again. It does surprise him a bit when she relaxes in his presence but it warms his heart nonetheless. He hopes it's not only because she feels better but maybe a little because he's there too.

In truth, Elena wants to run into his arms and never let go but she can't and won't. Even though her heart is ticking by at nearly the speed of sound, she has to bite back the urge because it's not fair to him. As hard as it is, she hurries over to him but keeps her hands to her herself. Their eyes meet and she nearly loses herself so she turns to look at Enzo.

Sensing the awkwardness between them, Enzo suggests that they have a cool drink. "Elena, why don't you take the cop outside while I get us something?"

Nodding, Elena looks at Damon, telling him to follow her. Enzo watches as the two maintain some distance between each other as they walk through the sliding glass doors. Shaking his head, he would like nothing more than to knock theirs together but that's something for another day, he thinks before disappearing into the kitchen to get their drinks.

* * *

Although Damon would've liked something preferably stronger, he settles on the lemonade that Enzo offers since he has to drive back to Phoenix. Despite being outside in the garden and pool area, the atmosphere between them is thick and tense. Elena takes a sip, almost wishing that Lucy was here too but she went back to her apartment to collect some things. She's supposed to return later today.

With Enzo's subtle nod, Elena takes a breath and tells Damon about her captivity, purposefully omitting the painful parts. She reveals how they held her captive and forcibly injected her with the heroin and that they kept her in that dungeon-like room till she had no concept of place or time.

It takes every ounce of self control that he possesses. which in fact is not much, to keep himself from erupting in anger. Not only that but he feels a wicked desire burning to go postal and confront Mikael Mikaelson. He's angry at himself for not even considering that family in all of this. Fisting his hands, he stares at her, hurt a little when she looks to Enzo for comfort, taking the box of tissue that he offers her.

Fighting back the urge to kick himself, he rakes his hand through his hair. Once he can speak without raising his voice, he utters, "So we were right?"

When he notices Elena's questioning gaze, he elaborates further, "Brady and I couldn't find anything to conclusively link your disappearance to the Lockwood's. Every road we went down ended up in a dead end. And so we started to think that maybe your kidnapping was an act of revenge. Atticus told us to go back through all the records from the time you started with the squad. We've gone through maybe half of them already," he pauses, his eyes drifting to hers for a moment. "Young Mikaelson makes sense. He got twenty years as I recall. And now that you mention it, I distinctly remember Mikael vowing revenge. This is all my fault. If I had put two and two together earlier," he blurts out, flying out of the chair and beginning to pace the pool area.

Seeing how distraught he is, Elena gets up and walks over to him. Against her better judgement, she takes his hand. "It's not your fault, Damon. I would never blame you. Please sit back down." When their eyes meet, she feels all the electricity that she's always felt so she lets go of it, using her own to gesture for him to sit. Nodding, he does but his insides are roiling like an F-5 tornado. Feeling the bile begin to burn at the back of his throat, he asks to use the bathroom. Hurrying into the house, he loses what's in his belly. As soon as he rinses out his mouth, he rejoins Enzo and Elena.

"I asked around too and listened to people. When I saw him again, I knew who he was, the man that killed Amara, it was Finn Mikaelson."

"Cut the crap Enzo. I need to know your sources."

"That's not how it goes, cop. You don't need my testimony for anything other than what I witnessed the night of her murder. If I reveal my sources, I might as well be running around with a target on my back," Enzo adds, taking a swallow from his glass.

Knowing that Enzo won't spill, he shakes his head before raising his eyes to hers. "I'm sorry, Elena but you need to come down to the station with me." He watches her eyes widen as they dart back and forth between him and Enzo before she finally settles on him. And then without further hesitation, she gets up, nodding her head firmly. Suddenly he sees determination written all over her beautiful face. Standing up too, he follows her into the house.

"What do you want to do, Elena? Call Shane, drive with me back to the city?"

Looking over Damon's shoulder, she sees Enzo. And as if to reassure her, he gives her a smile and a nod. Having turned to see what she was looking at, he notices their interaction. He swallows thickly feeling a twinge of jealousy but it disappears just as quickly. He watches her retreating form as she walks down the hall, disappearing into one of the rooms. Moments later, she comes out, her purse in her hand and steps beside him.

"Let's go," she says, her eyes meeting his. Wordlessly, Damon gestures with his arm for her to lead the way. She takes in a breath, steels her spine and walks outside, her resolve firm and unyielding.

* * *

By the time Damon pulls into the police station parking lot, it's been a couple of hours. The drive, albeit mostly in silence, isn't really uncomfortable. He feels a certain solemnity in her presence whether she feels the same or not, he isn't sure. The conversation is scanty. Damon wonders if they'll ever get past this, if they can even salvage a friendship when this is all said and done. Given what she has already told him, his imagination is running wild with what she hasn't told him. His heart hurts for her yet he's filled with renewed admiration for the woman next to him. Lesser women wouldn't have survived such an ordeal.

Having phoned Captain Shane from a rest area where he stopped to let them both use the restroom, he expects that everyone will be waiting for them upstairs. Stopping the car, Elena immediately jumps out and starts walking towards the building. He catches up with her quickly once he locks the doors. Stepping beside her, he pushes the elevator button. When the bell dings, they walk in side by side with Elena pushing the button for their floor. The air is thick but he says nothing. Although he'd like to take her hand to give her some reassurance, he knows that she likely would reject it so he shoves it in his pocket. Lost in thought, he barely notices till the ding sounds and the doors slide open once more. They walk directly to their squad room. Finding no one at their desks, he knows that he's correct in the assumption that everyone is waiting in Captain Shane's office.

With a look of sheer determination, she walks into Shane's office without bothering to knock. They all greet her warmly, she even accepts a hug from Bonnie before taking a seat beside her on the couch. Since Detective Carlucci transferred over from another precinct, he and Elena hadn't met each other before today. After introductions are made, Elena goes on to tell them everything that happened, once again omitting the most horrific parts. She doesn't fail to notice how Damon fists his hands at times or the way his brows scrunch together as her story unfolds. Bonnie looks at her with sadness and sometimes even pity which makes her a little crazy. Pity is the last thing she wants. But because she knows her friend means well, she somehow manages to bite back her irritation.

She knows that she'll have to reveal that but she also knows that she has to be the one to tell Damon and not in front of group of people. It has to be just them. After she does that, then she can add those horrifying images to her official statement. When she finishes, Damon interrupts, saying, "That's not all, tell them Elena." He risks meeting her stare and nods reassuringly.

"I remember seeing Mikael Mikaelson. It wasn't just him, it was his son too. Finn is the man who killed Amara Redden. I was in the bar the night of the murder. I will give you a statement," she offers, pausing to wait for his reply.

"Yes, of course I'll need your statement. I'm just stunned that you actually saw the elusive Mikael? He doesn't like to get his hands dirty, he has people to do that for him," Detective Carlucci explains. Having had his run ins with that family for years, he's surprised that Mikael would risk it but then, maybe he figured that she wouldn't remember after the hell they put her through.

"He was there when I woke up in that dungeon like room. He told me that since I took his son, he was going to take me away from my lover," she explains, saying the word lover softly, her gaze inadvertently drifting to Damon. I remember the first dose of heroin. I tried to fight them but I wasn't strong enough. They kept me in the cold and dark room till I no longer had any concept of place or time or even really who I was."

"Tell me about your encounter with Finn," Jack asks, looking at Elena intently.

"I was in the bar that night with Amara. I got up to use the bathroom and then I stopped at the bar for a few minutes. Just as I was returning to our table, I saw Amara topple over the booth and then as if in slow motion, the color drained from her face and the blood, there was so much blood. I was struck by the contrast of the red against her now white skin. Before I had a chance to even process what was happening, I was whisked out of the bar."

Shane shares a look with her and then his gaze drifts to Carlucci. "I know homicide is your territory, Jack but you have a witness to your murder so you should be able to get an arrest warrant for Finn. But I think we need to tail the others and see if we can get some search warrants. Maybe we can find out where they held you captive, Elena," he concludes, his eyes meeting hers.

"They eventually moved me to a nicer place, one that had a window. But it was sealed and I was too high up to try to escape. They always kept me locked up."

"We can't waste any time. We need to get on it," Damon adds, chomping at the bit to find the evidence they need to put Mikael away.

"Let's plan on meeting again tomorrow morning," Carlucci adds. "Miss Gilbert if you'd want to come with me to homicide, I can take your statement."

"I'll come over in a little bit," she says.

"Tomorrow morning then?" Jack repeats, turning his attention to their captain. After an agreeable nod from Shane, he gets up and vacates the room.

Shane can see Damon's mind whirling a mile a minute. Knowing he's like to jump the gun, he addresses him. "Damon, I swear I've had to turn a blind eye to so many things, a grey zone if you will since this nightmare began.."

Interrupting, Damon retorts, "Boss, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Without acknowledging Damon, Shane turns to Elena, "I'm glad you came. If it gets too much for you, tell me. I'm willing to let you set the pace."

Smiling genuinely, she replies, "Thank you, Captain but I'm okay. I just want it to be done."

"Okay then."

Having already forgotten the grey area comment, Damon drops his gaze to her. "Do you want me to drive you back?" Staring at her beautiful face, he can see that she's working things out by the expression on her face. Standing up herself, she shakes her head no.

"I think I'm going to go have a word with Detective Carlucci to see if I can be of anymore help. When you're ready to leave, you can find me in homicide."

Never ceasing to be amazed by her inner strength, Damon watches her exit the room. He doesn't take her eyes off of her retreating form till she steps out of the squad room, disappearing from view when she pulls the door swings shut behind her.

* * *

As soon they set things in motion in Shane's office, Damon goes in search of Elena. She's walking out of Carlucci's office at the same time he's stepping through the homicide division's door. When their eyes meet, she smiles slightly then walks over to him. As soon as they're outside, she tells him that she's ready to go back to Enzo's house now. Although it twists his gut a bit, he nods, accepting her decision. Since it's late in the afternoon, he offers to buy her some lunch which she politely refuses but states she would like something to drink. Turning into the Starbucks drive through, he places their order and then they wait in silence till they reach the counter. Once he gives the barista the cash, she slides them their drinks. After handing Elena's hers, he tells the girl to keep the change and then pulls back onto the road to drive back to Enzo's place.

Some time later once Damon is on the highway and out of the city, she tells him what she and Detective Carlucci talked about much to Damon's incredulity. "He wants you to what? He really wants you to make yourself a target for Finn Mikaelson? Has he gone mad?"

"Calm down, Damon. I just want it all to be over." When she sees the tortured look on his face, she places her hand on his forearm, clarifying her words. "I don't mean like over, over, I want, no I need to do something to help. This was done to me and I deserve justice. Maybe once they're behind bars, I'll be able to breathe again. If this is the only way for me to do that, then I'm going to do it whether I have your approval or not."

Glancing over at her for a few seconds, he shakes his head from side to side, his grip on the steering wheel tightens and he struggles to remain calm. When he feels her squeeze his arm just slightly before letting go, he takes a deep breath, finally acquiescing. "Okay, Elena, if this is what you need to do, so be it but I want to be there... No, I need to be there." Turning his attention back to his driving, he exits onto the gravel road that leads to Enzo's private abode. As soon as he pulls the car to a stop, he puts it in park then stares straight ahead almost as if he's afraid that she's going to refuse.

"Damon, look, I wouldn't do anything without my team and I told Carlucci as much too."

Both surprised and satisfied with her answer, he ventures to face her again. "Thank you. I'll pick you up in the morning."

Although her insides are begging to take him into her arms, she takes a breath, smiles and then gets out of the car. Before she closes the door, she stoops down and adds, "Goodnight Damon."

As soon as she's safely inside, Damon drops his head against the steering wheel, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. When he looks up, he happens to notice her look out of a window at him. With a slight wave, he shifts into reverse then drives away, leaving his heart behind once again.

* * *

Once Elena is wired up, she takes a few minutes to herself to try to get her nerve up. It's not like she hasn't done this before but she hasn't had to wear her cop shoes for a very long time now. Even though Damon nearly popped a vessel when Carlucci asked her to be the bait. The initial plan was to bring Finn in for questioning in regards to the murder but they knew that they would get nowhere with him. Mikael has a cadre of slick and highfalutin attorneys. Detective Carlucci is also certain that Mikael likely has a few cops in his pocket. When the witnesses suddenly began to recant their statements, they knew that Mikael paid them to keep quiet. the In the end, it's Elena, Enzo and the bartender's words versus everyone else that happened to be the in the bar that night. With Enzo wanting to stay out of it, it's up to Elena to get the goods on Finn so he can at least be brought to trial. Other than seeing the moment death claimed Amara, the other thing that haunts her from that night is seeing Finn's cold and black eyes as he stared into hers for that moment before Enzo snatched her from his grasp.

Damon, Bonnie, Shane and Brady are already in the restaurant pretending to be patrons. She knows that Damon would take a bullet for her in a heartbeat but she hopes no one else will be harmed or killed by that evil man. As hard as she's tried, she does not ever remember seeing him during her incarceration. Feeling a brush of a hand, she jumps, relaxing immediately when she sees Tony whose job is to help with police communications and wiring. Having gotten the okay to send Elena in, Tony has her do one more sound check. Sitting in the back of a van across the street from the establishment, Elena and Tony watch. At almost the exact second she lays eyes on Finn as he and a woman step out of the limousine, her heart starts thrumming like Secretariat pounding the dirt at the Belmont Stakes when he won by nearly thirty one lengths. Turning away for a moment, Elena takes a few deep breaths to try to control herself. If she's a nervous wreck, this will lead to bloodshed, there's no doubt in her mind.

As hard as it is, they wait in the van until she hears Damon's voice once in her earpiece that Finn is just getting ready to exit the establishment sans the woman he was with. Damon tells her they need to move because she parted from him to use the bathroom or something. As it always has, the tone of his voice takes the edge off and soothes her frayed nerves. On Tony's cue and with a renewed sense of determination, she squares her shoulders and walks across the street. Pretending not to pay attention to what she's doing, she drops her eyes to the sidewalk and walks straight into Finn, nearly knocking him to the ground. He starts to curse and yell that is until he sees her. She sees the recognition wash over his face and before she utter a syllable, he's back on his feet, latches onto her upper arm and tugs her towards his waiting vehicle. When Elena opens her mouth to scream, he squeezes tight, digging his finely manicured fingernails into her tender skin. Grimacing, she looks down as rivulets of blood begin to form around his nails.

"I'd keep the mouth shut, bitch. That is unless you want to witness a blood bath right here in front of this fine establishment," he hisses, shoving the blunt end of his revolver into her ribcage.

"Let me go, please," Elena pleads.

"Oh sweetheart, that isn't going to happen. You've gotten away from me one too many times. I won't make the same mistake again," he sneers, his mouth against her earlobe. With her arms still firmly in his grip, he starts to walk her to his car.

"I won't say anything," Elena begs, hoping she can pull this off.

"No, Miss Gilbert, you won't and you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you're just another junkie who's going to be found dead in a ditch somewhere of a drug overdose."

Swallowing thickly, Elena's fuse reaches a fever pitch when she sees the sick smirk on his ugly face. Looking down, she sees a large crack in the sidewalk. Catching her foot purposely on the uneven cement, she stumbles, nearly pulling him down with her as she crashes onto the sidewalk. Although she skins her knees and elbow, Elena is too pumped with adrenaline to feel any pain yet.

As soon as he reaches for her, Elena quickly jumps to her feet and elbows him hard in the ribs, sending him sprawling backwards. He gasps but before he can launch himself at her, she lands a well placed blow to his junk, dropping him instantly. Pulling the handcuffs out of her pocket, she flips him onto his belly and cuffs his hands behind his back just as Damon and the rest of them come running like gangbusters towards her. With Finn secure, Elena looks up, her eyes meeting Damon's and for the first time in a very long time, a genuine smile graces both of their faces.

Leaning over, she places her mouth by Finn's ear, saying loudly and proudly, "It's not Miss Gilbert, it's Officer Gilbert." Even with one side of his face pressed into the cement, she forces him to look at her. When their eyes meet, she reads him his Miranda Rights as required by law. With a hand from Damon she stands up as Carlucci and several uniformed officers haul his ass off of the sidewalk. He looks at her with contempt, even going so far as to spit in her face. Reeling back to slap him, Damon grabs her hand and pulls her back.

"It's okay, Elena. You got him."

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. You are awesome._

 _Huge thanks for all of you. Both Eva and I are so grateful to all you. I am in awe, truly._

 _Chapter title: "The Warrior" by Scandal with Patty Smyth._

 _Please have a look at my other stories. Watch for "This Isn't What We Meant" when this one concludes. There's a handful of chapters remaining._

 _I'm going to Vegas for a short but much needed vacation. It'll probably be next week before I can update again._

 _I hope you have a safe and wonderful day. Thank you again, you are all the best._


	20. Let Her Go

Needing a breather from going through the mounds of paperwork to prepare for the next phase in the plan to bring Elena's kidnappers to justice, Damon excuses himself to use the bathroom and to get something cold to drink. Dropping some coins in the soda dispenser, he stoops down to pull the Coke Zero out and then walks outside for a minutes. Sitting down on the concrete stairs, he twists off the bottle and takes a long pull. Raising his eyes, he's truck by the beautiful oranges, yellows and pinks of the western sky as the sun begins it descent into the horizon. Pulling his phone out of his rear jeans pocket, he clicks on the number, smiling as he listens to the Mr. Rogers Neighborhood song that he uses for their ringtone.

 _"Damon? What's shaking?"_

"Hi brother. I'm not going to make it up there this weekend. Stefan.. um.. a lot has happened on the Elena front in the last few days. Things may be about to break wide open."

 _"You sound a little more upbeat than I've heard you for quite sometime. I like hearing from this Damon."_

He can hear Stefan yell for Jeremy before he picks up the change to speaker phone. "We may have a lead on who took her. So that's my focus right now."

 _"Do you want to talk about it?"_

"No, I don't have time. I'm just taking a fifteen minute break to have a soda. I have to go back inside in a few minutes."

 _"You know we're here if you want to talk. I, I mean we, really do hope that things will turn around soon," Jeremy adds._

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate all the moral support... I have to go. I'll talk to you soon."

 _"Bye," they both say, their voices cutting out when they click the phone off._

Damon smiles despite himself then gets up, finishes off his soda and then goes back into the building and directly to their office. He's glad to be able to focus on this case. He wants revenge pure and simple but he has to play within the limits of the law. Otherwise, he'd take his thirty eight caliber and frog march Mikael Mikaelson into long empty Alcatraz himself. Smiling at the thought, he chuckles as he pushes his office door open and goes immediately back to the captain's office. Plopping into a chair, he drops his face in his hands to rub the fatigue out of his eyes. When he closes them, it's her face he sees. It's nothing new, it happens every night when he does the same. But in his dreams, it's different, the face he sees is smiling and happy.

His only wish is to see her smile like that again, a smile that makes her whole face light up. It's one that he used to see all the time. And yet for the first time in ages, he saw a glimpse of her when she was arresting Finn. Although he's too afraid to have hope that they'll be together again, he's very happy to see that she's at least fighting to put her life back together.

* * *

Sitting in the conference room in the homicide department, Damon, Shane and Elena listen as Detective Carlucci goes over the final plans for the raid. Mikael owns several properties in and around Phoenix. They know that Mikael wouldn't be stupid enough to keep her imprisoned anywhere that has his name attached to it. Because of that, they've had to dig deep, finally finding a place on the outskirts of town that is supposed owned by a real estate company. With a little more digging they find that the agency is owned by one of Mikael's associates, meaning it's a dummy corporation put together to provide cover for some of his less than stellar activities.

Sitting down, Elena is going through pictures of the Mikaelson family to see if any of them look familiar to her. She thumbs through picture after picture. There's Klaus who has a record. Apparently he got into trouble when he was a young man, even doing time for some petty drug crimes. When he was released, he pretty much stayed under the radar whether he's involved with Mikael's drug business, they're not sure.

There's her nemesis Finn, Elena feels a chill when she sees his photo. Next she's surprised that there's a daughter, Rebekah. She's a young girl, Elena's age. She's an art history major and is currently interning at the Louvre' in Paris. There's Elijah who's a physician who has an upscale dermatology practice in Maui. He's very handsome Elena thinks but the dossier says that he's happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Eva. They moved to Hawaii after their wedding.

She shivers slightly when she picks up Henrik's picture, quickly putting it at the bottom of the stack. She remembers all too well the charming smile that he always wore as he was selling death at a high school. It's because of him that Elena was abducted in the first place. Dropping it face side down, she comes to Ester Mikaelson, the matriarch of the family. The woman is the patron of many charities and loves to entertain in style. Elena can remember reading about some of their high tone and fancy to do's on the television. The last photo she comes across is Kol Mikaelson. As she stares at the photo, she can't quite understand the vague sense of familiarity that she feels.

"Elena?"

Snapping out of her reverie, she looks up when she hears Jack Carlucci say her name. "I'm sorry, I was just looking at their photos. I recognized Henrik from our assignment at his school but none of the others look familiar to me. This one," she starts to say as she picks up the picture of Kol, "He looks somewhat familiar but I don't know why? I do know though that Trevor was the only one who tormented me. The first time they gave me heroin, a lady injected me. I know it wasn't either Rebekah or Ester."

"Are you up to it? It's not too late to back out," Damon asks, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"Yes, Damon. Hell herself will not keep me from doing this," she retorts. Feeling chastened, Damon steps back, his arms raised in surrender. Not wanting to get into their private affairs in front of everyone, Elena ignores him for now. Once Jack and Shane go over all the instructions and how this is going to play out, they end their meeting and head downstairs to where the police vehicles are kept. When she sees Damon reach the parking garage, Elena walks over to him. Pulling him aside, she demands his attention.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"No matter where things stand, I can't just turn it off, Elena. I'll never not be concerned about your safety."

"I know, Damon," she adds, giving his hand a squeeze. Neither notices Shane's approach till he's beside them.

"It's time to get in the cars. You sure you want to do this, Elena?" he asks, repeating Damon's words from upstairs.

"I know you're all worried about me and believe me, it means everything but if I'm going to take my life back, I need to do this," she says firmly, her stance firm and unyielding.

"Let's do it," Shane adds, opening one of the squad cars to let Elena slide in. As much as Damon doesn't want to let her out of his sight, he nods at her and then hops into a car with one of the homicide detectives. When they see a wave of Carlucci's hand in the lead car, they pull onto the highway to rein hell down on the Mikealson empire.

* * *

With sirens blaring, the squad cars form a barricade on the road leading to the Mikaelson estate. Due to the nature of the mission, Elena stays back away from the other officers, watching from the side of the road as the SWAT team begins surrounding the mansion. Her nerves are on edge but truth be told, it feels good to be back doing what she's always loved, being a police officer. Her musings are disturbed by the sound of yelling and gun fire. Soon smoke and the smell of gun powder begin to shroud the house, making it difficult to see. Then the gunfire stops and the smoke begins to clear, she can see people being led out of with their hands above their heads.

Just as she begins to relax a bit, the sounds of an approaching car commands her attention. With the atmosphere charged, she reaches for her weapon. Taking a position on the road, Elena is determined to stop whoever it is. When the man sees her, although he's not driving fast, he slams on his brakes hard enough to cause him to careen off the road, barely missing a tree. Hurrying over to him, Elena keeps her weapon trained as the man opens the door and drops to the dirt below. As he struggles to get to his feet, she sees him lick the drop of blood that's forming at the corner of his mouth.

After telling him to raise his hands, Elena asks if he needs a medic. Without looking up, he shakes his head no. Slowly he removes his sunglasses and when their eyes meet, a stunned Elena takes a step backwards, nearly dropping her weapon. She's looking at the face of the man who saved her life.

* * *

"It's you," she whispers, still in a state of shock. As she lowers the weapon, she remembers seeing his picture when she was thumbing through photos of his family. Without saying a word, he bows his head but doesn't take his eyes off of her. A million things are going through her mind. Her mouth opens and closes wordlessly before she finally is able to spit out a syllable, "Why?"

"I don't particularly enjoy torturing people, especially not pretty girls. I'm not my father, Miss Gilbert."

Her mind flashes back to the morgue when Damon showed her Trevor's crushed skull. Looking up again, she swallows past the knot in her throat and asks, "Did I .. did I do it?"

Kol gives her a hard stare and yet she can see a blend of both remorse and anger. "No, Trevor's on me."

Suddenly they hear the snap of dead branch. Looking up, Elena sees Damon stalking towards them, gun drawn. "Damon no, please." Stepping around Kol, she approaches him, but places herself between the two men, shielding the man from Damon.

"What are you doing?" Damon asks incredulously, his gun still trained on the other man, who seems rather relaxed much to his consternation. Torn between Damon and the man that saved her, she knows that she has to make a snap decision. While maintaining her place between the two men, she slowly turns her back to Damon. Much to his dismay, she takes Kol's hand in her own. "Get in your car and drive. Go somewhere far away, preferably to your brother in Hawaii. You were never here."

Confused, Kol's eyes dart from Elena's to Damon's and then back to Elena. When he picks up how serious she is, he asks, "Why?"

"Go," she says firmly, watching as he runs towards his vehicle. Spinning the tires, he backs out of the ditch and onto the road, pausing when he pulls up beside Elena.

"Kol? Thank you," she mouths. He can see the sincerity in those big brown eyes of hers. With a nod of his head, he guns his engine, kicking up a cloud of dust as he disappears into the distance.

* * *

Once Kol is gone, Damon eyes her skeptically but when they see the first vehicles transporting the prisoners downtown, he starts to walk towards the house, Elena following beside him. She knows she owes him an explanation for what just happened. Latching onto his arm, she stops his forward motion. "What is it?" he asks, irritation evident in the lilt of his voice.

"I promise that I'll explain, Damon. Just please don't say anything."

"I'm a cop, Elena. We just let a suspect get away."

"We'll talk, later."

Damon doesn't know what to believe. As much as he wants to talk to her, find out if he has any role in her life anymore, he realizes that he doesn't quite trust her to follow through. Not wanting to be disappointed if she backs out, he just nods, turning away from her when he sees Captain Shane approaching them.

"They're all on their way downtown. Why don't you just take Elena home? We're all going to meet tomorrow. Carlucci's men will be questioning them. There's nothing for us to do anymore today."

"Okay captain," Damon agrees. Shane nods then walks away. It's then that Damon turns to face her. He's waiting for a sign, anything that would cue him into what she's thinking, feeling, what she wants to do.

When their eyes meet, she blows out the breath she didn't realize that she was holding. "Let's go home."

* * *

By the time Damon pulls into his driveway, they're both tired, more so emotionally than physically. He can see how sallow her skin looks and he doesn't miss it when she turns away to yawn. When he stops the car he gets out and waits for her to do the same. Extending his arm, he motions for her to lead the way. Although he can see the fatigue weighing heavily on her, he can also see the fierce determination that drew him to her in the first place. Once they're inside, he tells her to make herself comfortable while he goes into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Every cell in his body is longing for a good stiff drink but he wants to keep a level head, at least for now. If need be, he can break out his prized bottle of Pappy later.

When he walks into the living room, he pauses when he sees her standing, her back to him. She's holding a picture frame. It's a photo of the two of them at the Grand Canyon. Almost as if she senses his presence, she sets the photo down. Forcing a tentative smile that in no way reaches her eyes, she sits down on the couch. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"No, I'd like a something stronger," she says, her expression unwavering.

"What? Bourbon, Vodka?"

"Bourbon and make it a double."

"Okay then," he says under his breath. Walking back to the kitchen, he pulls the bottle out of the cupboard. After putting some ice cubes in two glasses, he fills them, recaps the bottle and returns to her. Taking the glass he offers, she takes a big swallow and then sets it down, motioning with her hand for him to take a seat. Before she even says anything, Damon asks, "Why did you let Kol Mikaelson go?"

"Because Damon, without Kol, I would not have survived my captivity," she pauses, closes her eyes and takes a slow deep shuddering breath. "As one day blended into two and that blended into months, I was becoming less and less human. I was quite literally in hell. Everyday they would shoot me up, once, twice sometimes more, sometimes not at all. I'd start to withdraw and then I'd lay in my own urine, sweat and shame. Eventually I lost all self respect, I was nothing more than a worthless piece of shit. That snake guy, Trevor, he wanted to..," she pauses swallowing thickly. Picking up her glass, she finishes it off and disappears into the kitchen.

Damon follows her with his eyes. She's never been much of a drinker. Is she trading one addiction for another? God, he doesn't even want to consider such a thing. Although he dreads what's still to be revealed, he knows that she needs to get it off of her chest and that he needs to hear it. When he looks up, she's back, gripping the bottle neck tightly in her hand.

After she takes another swallow, she sets the bottle down and then starts to wring her hands together. Her heart is thrumming so hard that she almost feels faint. How does she tell the man she loves that she repeatedly had sex with her tormentor? Shaking her head back and forth, she just blurts it out. "I wanted to fight, I tried to fight at first but eventually I lost all concept of who I was, where I was, whether it was day or night, the bits and pieces of memories that did appear only hurt that much more because I knew they were lost to me forever." Pausing, she reaches for the box of tissues. Taking one, she blows her nose but doesn't wipe away the tears that are now forming.

"Elena?"

"No, I have to do this," she adds, looking at him, a sad expression on her face. "Before I lost myself completely I just kept thinking that you would never be able to look at me with such love and adoration ever again. I was nothing more than a whore, Damon. In the beginning, I would try to fight the urges.., but the need for the drug overwhelmed my every inhibition. I was all by myself, I had no one," she adds, her voice choking up with emotion. Wiping her tears, she continues. As much as she doesn't want to see the shattered look on his face, she has to keep going or she'll lose her nerve.

"He would get bored and use me for his own amusement. When I didn't _satisfy_ him, he left me to lay on the floor in my vomit, poking at me because he didn't want to touch my filthy, smelly skin. You can't even imagine how it feels to be like an object rather than a person. The shame I felt day after day, month after month. He would let me start to withdraw and then let me suffer the misery of it," she burbles, her face contorting in agony as the memories bombard her brain one after the next. Daring to look at Damon, she sees that he's trying so hard to maintain his composure but she knows him too well. She notices the stiff set of his jaw, his bulging biceps, the grip on his glass hard enough to whiten his fingertips. This is killing him on the inside.

Feeling her heart start to slam against her ribs even harder, she takes another deep breath. Although she wants another pull on the bottle of bourbon, she's already feeling a little buzzed so she fingers the trinket that's safely stowed inside of her pocket instead. "And that's where Kol comes in," she begins. "He would help me to bathe, give me clean clothing and clean bedding and fed me when I was too weak to feed myself."

When Damon starts to open his mouth, she shakes her head, saying, "Let me finish." When he nods, she continues her story, "One day, the snake guy and I were having sex, he was hurting me and that's when Kol found us. He put two and two together rather quickly, knowing that he would only give me what I needed in exchange for letting him use my body, he demanded that he give me the junk. To get back at Kol, he gave me what was supposed to be the _last_ dose. Kol killed him and somehow managed to get me to the hospital in time too. It had to have been him that put my police badge in my pocket so the hospital could identify me. I never wanted you to see me like this Damon, it wasn't fair to you. Many times I begged for death to spare me from this very moment. The moment I told you that I allowed that man to use my body in exchange for junk."

Speechless, he gawps, not a sound escaping. His head and his heart a blur of conflicting emotions, none of which are hate. As much as her confession devastates him, he knows that the only important thing in all of this is that she's still alive. She didn't choose this nightmare, it was forced on her. Despite feeling numb on the inside, he wants nothing more than to take her into his arms. He stands up and start to close the distance between them but she backs away.

"I'll never again be the Elena you fell in love with Damon," she says, trying to keep her chin held high. Feeling dirty and unworthy, she can't let him touch her, her scars run too deep.

"Damn it, Elena. Don't say that, I love you," he finally blurts out, his eyes now beginning to water.

"No you can't," she yells and before his heart beats again, she's gone, having run out of the house, leaving the door wide open. He tries to run after her but he has no idea where she went. Although he looks all over the neighborhood, she's just gone. It's only now that he lets his tears fall. Once he gets home, he makes a bee line for the bottle. Picking it up, he takes a long pull, then goes back to shut his front door. With the bottle in his hand, he slides down the door, tears falling freely down his face. He breaks completely that he wasn't able to save her. Despite everything, he's still astounded by her bravery. Whether she believes it or not, she's still the best woman he's ever known. As his chest heaves painfully, emotional agony unlike anything he's ever felt before stabs at his heart from every angle.

* * *

When she reaches a little motel some distance from Damon's place, she rents a room, goes inside and locks the door. With her emotions threatening to overwhelm her, she begins to pace back and forth. Knowing what she needs, she runs out of her room and down the block to Joe's bar. Finding what she needs, she gives the guy a fifty dollar bill in exchange for a syringe and a bag of powder. The crescendo reaches a fevered pitch by the time she gets back to her room. Taking the spoon out of the kitchenette, she drops the powder onto it and places it over the burner till it's reduced to an amber colored ambrosia. Her heart is pounding and her hands tremoring as she aspirates the liquid into the syringe. Realizing that she doesn't have a tourniquet, she hurries into the bathroom. Twisting the towel, she wraps it around her arm. Using her teeth, she pulls the cap off of the needle. She needs it to stop. She needs to erase the image of his beautiful yet pained face from her memory. With just one little prick, she can stop it all.

* * *

 _Don't Give Up..._

 _Love you my dearest Eva. Thank you for your friendship. It's truly a gift._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. You're the very best there is. So many of you are friends as well. It means the world to me._

 _Chapter title: 'Let Her Go' by Passenger._

 _"Tomorrow" and "The Night We Met" are in progress._

 _Have a safe and wonderful day. Thank you again, we'll see you next time._


	21. Shake It Out

Still sitting on the floor in front of his door, Damon can hardly see straight. Between exhaustion, both emotional and physical and his eyes swollen from crying, he just feels numb. Hanging his head, he yawns before finally dragging himself off of the floor. Walking into the kitchen, he puts the bottle away. Leaning against the counter, he doesn't know what to do. He knows it's futile to go to bed, he won't sleep, she'll star in his dreams the way she always does. But this time they'll be filled with horrible images of what's been done to her and he'll be powerless to stop it. God, he hates himself right now. There's a part of him that knows he did everything in his power to find her but the other part of him knows that a man is supposed to protect the woman he loves.

Dropping his face into his hands, he feels the tears starting to form again. Glancing to his left, he sees that he left the foyer light on. Just as he pushes himself off of the counter, he startles when he hears his door opening and closing. Very quietly, he tiptoes out of the kitchen and into his bedroom to reach for his service revolver. With it firmly in his hands, he takes a breath and goes out to confront whoever is in his home. As soon as he reaches the foyer, he recognizes her form.

"Elena?" Damon breathes, his defensive posture deflating immediately.

"I couldn't do it, Damon. I wanted to.. badly.. but I just couldn't."

"I... I.. I'm just grateful that you came back," he adds, pressing his palm against his heart that's pounding like a kettle drum. When their eyes meet, she steps in front of him, takes his hand in hers. With her other one, she drops the trinket in his palm and closes his fingers around it. Too stunned to speak, Damon drops his gaze, gasping audibly when he sees that it's his grandfather's watch.

"How?"

"Enzo found it. I'm so sorry that I stole it, Damon. I was desperate for the heroin that.. the addiction, it takes complete control, the need for it overrides everything else. I hope that someday you can forgive me."

"I forgave you a long time ago, Elena," he adds, tentatively reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear like he's done so many times before. Noticing her legs beginning to sway and her eyes half lidded, he adds, "Come on, you can take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

Her eyes snap open, she stares at him for a few seconds before nodding her acceptance. She follows him to the bedroom where he hands her a pair of her pajamas. He's ashamed of himself for even considering getting rid of her things but he's glad that he didn't. As soon as she comes out of the bathroom, he pulls back the sheets, letting her crawl under them.

After covering her up, he tells her goodnight and then leaves the room. He finds a throw blanket and then curls up on the couch, his eyes falling closed almost immediately. With Elena safe in the other room, he hopes that a dreamless sleep will pull him into sweet oblivion. Barely drifting off, he lurches upright when he hears her whimpers. With a yawn, he tiptoes into the bedroom. She's tossing and flailing in the bed. Running over to her, he tries to calm her down.

"Damon?" she whispers. He's not sure if she's awake or if she's talking in her sleep. Since she seems to relax with him here, he slides in next to her, letting her curl up in his arms. Within minutes, Damon finally loses the fight, drifting off to sleep himself. Elena startles slightly when she feels his body shift. Confused, she looks around, getting her bearings. Inherently knowing that Damon would walk over shattered glass for her, she smiles naturally.

It genuinely feels right and good to be in his arms again. She loves him so much. Even after the hell she put him though, he'd still fight for her with his last breath. Somewhere along the way, she must've done something good in her life to have this man love her. Snuggling in closer, she buries her face against his chest. The last thing she remembers before drifting off completely is his manly scent that she's been craving for months now.

* * *

Startling awake when Trevor's snarling face pops into his mind, Damon eyes snap open. Feeling a weight against his chest, he looks at the woman laying close. In his sleep, he thought that he dreamt her coming back. Dropping his head back onto the pillow and as if by instinct, he very wispily runs his palm down her hair and over her back. When she nuzzles in even closer, Damon's eyes drift across her and over to the beside stand where his grandfather's watch is resting. How can he ever repay Enzo? How did he know which watch was his?

Elena must have said something to him or told him where she pawned it or something. He's not going to question it, he's just so grateful to have it back in his possession. It's always been his dream to give it to one of his own children or maybe one of Stefan or Jeremy's if he never becomes a father. Dropping his eyes to her sleeping figure once more, he feels his breath catch in his throat. He feels so at peace just being able to have her like this. Noticing the clock when he turns his head to the left, he closes his eyes again, letting sleep pull him back under.

* * *

When he wakes up the second time, light is streaming into the room from the windows. She's still soundly sleeping but at some point, she flipped so now her back and bottom are pressing against his side. He has no idea how she's going to react if she finds him in bed with her. He wonders if he should very carefully sneak out to make some coffee and maybe some breakfast. Yet it feels so good to be so close to her that he just doesn't want it to end just yet. Since his mind is on his thoughts, he doesn't even notice when she shifts ever so slightly in bed, finally turning herself enough to face him again. Looking into her eyes, a spontaneous smile erupts on Damon's face. He's struck by the way she's looking at him. She's still Elena but this is a more mature her, one whose innocence was cruelly ripped away from her yet he still sees the trust that she's always placed in him.

"Did I do something?"

Shaking his head, he quickly replies, "No, no, of course not. You were whimpering, tossing and turning but you seemed to calm down when I was here so..."

"I'm sorry if I kept you awake," she says softly, putting a little distance between them. Just as Damon is about to reassure her that it's okay, that he loved just being able to hold her again, his phone rings ending the awkwardness between them. After a few seconds, Damon clicks off his phone then swings his legs over the side of the bed. Feeling her hand on his arm, he looks back at her. Having never been able to deny her anything when he looks into those eyes, he takes her hand in his.

"That was Shane. They believe they found your dungeon."

* * *

When Damon and Elena reach the address that Captain Shane gave him, he pulls the car to the side of the road and turns off the engine. Police cars are surrounding the old stone mansion. It looks like it was built in the early part of the last century judging by the architecture. Stepping out of the car, he walks around to her side to help her out. He can see that she's working things out by the way she's staring at the building ahead. He also notices the exact moment when her indomitable Gilbert spirit takes over. Sucking in a breath, she squares her shoulders and steps out of the car. After Damon pushes the door closed, the two of them walk side by side up to the building, stopping when they reach Atticus.

"Are you up to this, Elena?" Shane asks, looking at her with utmost concern.

"I'm ready. They've taken enough from me. I'm not going to let them take anything else," she says, her voice strong and unwavering. Damon is so proud of her in that moment that he could almost burst.

"Captain, have Carlucci's men gotten anything out of Mikael or any of the others we arrested?"

"They picked up a few more people. Apparently the youngest son, Kol, is MIA."

Although Shane is oblivious, Damon doesn't miss how Elena tenses just slightly at the mention of Kol's name. If he was the man that kept her alive while she was being brutalized in this place, there's no way in hell that he's going to rat him out. With his eyes on the building, he looks back at the captain when he hears him speak again.

"We don't know if he had anything to do with Elena's kidnapping or not. Mikael of course is being tight-lipped. According to a couple of the others, Trevor was killed by one of Mikael's men. He tried to escape in a blaze of glory yesterday and was killed."

"That must have gone down after I took Elena home."

"It did," Shane starts to say, nodding at another cop when he signals for them to come. "Are you ready, Elena?"

"Yes," she replies and starts to walk towards the house. The officer standing at the door leads them into the building. She doesn't remember any of the entryway because she was unconscious when she was first brought here. They walk into what looks like an office. The bookcase is pulled away from the wall, revealing a hidden staircase. As soon as she steps behind it, she feels a chill, the musty, dank smell lighting up her insides like a firecracker. A stark feeling of familiarity seizes her chest as she goes down one step at a time. Feeling chill bumps erupt, she runs her hands up and down her arms. When she reaches the bottom, she makes a right turn and there it is, the cell they kept her in. Staring at that cell, she feels the tourniquet tighten on her arm just before that evil woman pierces her vein for the first time. Instinctively she starts to rub the soft spot on it. Grimacing against the pain, she feels her belly begin to roil so hard that she can feel the bile burn at the back of her throat.

Sweat begins to bead on her forehead and nausea begins to boil hot and intense in her belly. When the dry heaves start, her eyes dart around and before she loses her breakfast in front of everyone, she runs upstairs as fast as her legs will carry her. Finding a bathroom opposite of the study, she collapses to her knees, spilling her guts as her arms drape the cold porcelain of the toilet.

Chasing after her, Damon finds her in the bathroom. Pulling open a drawer, he grabs a washcloth, wets it then lifts her hair and places it at the back of her neck. With her forehead on the toilet rim and Damon tending to her, neither hear Shane walk up. "Is she okay?" he asks, looking at both of them with concern.

"She's going to be fine," Damon says, looking over his shoulder at his boss and friend. With a nod, Shane leaves the two of them alone. Raising up on her arms, Elena whispers, "Let's go home."

With a nod, Damon helps her to her feet. Holding onto her gently, he helps her maintain her balance as the two of them leave the house. After she gives a statement to the officer in charge, Damon leads her to the car. Seeing Shane, he waves then pulls onto the highway and drives away, leaving the evil of that home far behind.

* * *

After such an emotionally charged day, Elena leans back in the seat, her face turned towards the window, her eyes staring at the clouds above. She can't stop thinking about him, Damon. Despite everything she did, even going so far as to steal his cherished heirloom, inexplicably he's still here. She looks up when he turns on the radio, soft instrumental music starts to play. It soothes her as she closes her eyes, losing herself to the music for a little while.

Having dozed off, she awakens, sitting upright when Damon stops the car. Looking around, she's stunned to see that he brought her to Enzo's home. Fear strikes at the heart of her when she has a passing thought that maybe he is already tired of her. As she turns to look at him, she hears squealing so looks away, noticing Lucy just as she reaches the car. Without missing a beat, Lucy pulls open the car door, tugs Elena to her feet and wraps her arms around her. When she lets go, she takes her by the wrist and starts to drag her towards the house. The next thing she knows, Enzo is in front of her. With a twinkle in his eyes, he gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Did you miss me, love?" he laughs, giving her a wink.

Although she feels genuine happiness at seeing them, she can also feel the butterflies churning when she thinks of Damon. Why did he bring her here? Has he had enough of her and all the hell she's brought to his life? Before she can think about it too deeply, she hears the car door close. Looking back, her heart start to pump like a steam engine when she sees him close the distance between them. He steps up, shaking Enzo's hand. Pressing his palm against her lower back ever so softly, he urges her to follow their hosts into the house.

Enzo grabs Damon to join him at the bar while Lucy snags Elena, taking her out to the garden. Damon knows he made the right decision bringing her here when he sees her face light up like a neon light at being with these people. He knows he has them to thank for keeping her alive. Without them, he may never have seen her again. For the first time since this whole ordeal began, he allows himself to have a glimmer of hope that maybe in time, things will be alright between them. When he feels the glass brush up against his hand, he looks up and nods to Enzo. "Thanks for helping her. And thank you for the watch, Enzo. I owe you big for everything. I love her so much but if I have to let her go, at least I know you and your lady will always watch out for her."

Enzo doesn't say anything, he just nods and raises his glass. Taking his in hand, Damon clinks it with Enzo's and then takes a long swallow. "This is good."

"It's old and well aged," he retorts, taking a long pull himself.

"They found out where she was held captive. It hit her hard but she did it. I'm so proud of her but I felt she needed to have a little down time. That's why I brought her here. I can't stay, I have to go back to the city," Damon says, shaking his head no when the other man tries to refill his glass. After Enzo tells him where the bathroom is, Damon disappears down the hall at the same time that Lucy and Elena walks back inside. When Damon returns, Enzo pulls some things out of the refrigerator and with Damon's help, they make supper. The conversation is light. Damon just watches her, how light and airy she looks. These two people, unlikely friends given their professions have become something of a lifeline for his girl. As happy as he is for her, he still feels a bit of a gut punch because he would like to be her lifeline.

When the sun starts to set in the western sky, Damon announces that he needs to drive home. He wants nothing more than for her to return with him but he's going to have to respect her decision if she wants to stay here. With a nod of his head, he walks outside. Just as he's opening the car door, there she is, followed by Lucy and Enzo. After the three of them share a hug, Enzo walks around to shake Damon's hand. Lucy opens the car door for Elena, letting her slip into the passenger seat. Feeling his heart jump inside of his chest, Damon thanks them for the meal and a nice afternoon and then hops into the driver's seat. Without giving it a thought, Damon squeezes her hand, shifts into gear and steps on he gas. He waves goodbye to their hosts just before he turns onto the highway to begin the long drive home.

* * *

It's late by the time they get back to his place. She's already sound asleep in the passenger seat. Walking around, he jostles her gently to wake her. When she stumbles getting out of the car, he takes her into his arms and carries her into the house. Barely coherent, he pulls back the covers with one hand then lays her down. Since he doesn't want her have a bad reaction if he takes off her clothes, he settles for removing only her shoes then covers her up. Stooping over, he presses his lips to her forehead, letting them linger for a few moments. After whispering goodnight and I love you near her earlobe, he leaves the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

Tired himself, he goes to the other bathroom, showers and changes into clean boxers and a tee shirt. Yawning widely, he finds his throw blanket then plops down on the couch. Shifting till he's comfortable, he closes his eyes and lets the pull of darkness consume him. Sometime later, he hears her screaming.

Jumping off the couch, he starts to run towards her but he nearly gets bowled over when she comes flying out of the bedroom. Taking her in his arms, he holds her tight. Despite her thrashing, he won't let go. The harder she struggles, the tighter he holds on because he knows that she's not fully awake. With one arm securely around her, he threads his fingers into the back of her head and presses her face into his chest. After a few moments of rocking her in his arms and whispering that he's here and that she's okay, her eyes snap open.

Looking at him with tear filled eyes, she pulls her arms free then wraps them around his middle. Pressing her face against his chest, she very softly asks him to sleep with her.

"Of course, Elena. I'll do anything you need me to do." Lifting her into his arms, he carries her back to bed. He lays her down with utmost care and then slides in beside her. Opening his arms, she doesn't hesitate and tucks her body impossibly snug against his. With his chin on the crown of her head, he continues to whisper and sing to her softly. When he feels the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, he closes his own eyes and moments later joins her in the land of dreams and nightmares.

When Damon wakes up the next morning, he finds her staring at him. "Is something wrong?" he asks, his heart jumping when he sees a blend of both fear and determination in her eyes.

"I love you. I truly do," she adds, closing her eyes for just a moment. Taking a breath she opens them and continues. "If I'm going to have any chance to live a normal life again, both for myself and for us, I need to go back to therapy."

"I love you too, Elena. You're my life," he tells her, fighting back the tears that want to form. With one arm wrapped around her back, he leans over to pull his bedside stand open. Pulling the necklace out, he drops it in her hand.

"My necklace? I thought it was gone."

"I found it in the courthouse."

"Put it one me," she asks, sitting forward enough to allow him to do so. She lifts her hair and then Damon slips it around her neck, securing the clasp. When she lays back down, she fingers the infinity knot. Even though she knows that she has to leave him again for a little while, she knows that he'll be here waiting when she's ready to return.

* * *

 _Huge thanks to you Eva. You are truly the sister that I was never lucky enough to have till now._

 _Huge thanks to all of you. I cannot begin to thank you enough for all of your support. You are all truly the best._

 _Chapter title: 'Shake It Out' by Florence and the Machine._

 _I did post a picture of Elena's Infinity necklace on my scarlett2112 fb page._

 _Please check out "Tomorrow" and "The Night We Met"._

 _I hope you all have a phenomenal weekend. Thank you all again. We'll see you next week._


	22. Heal My Soul

Although things are still tentative with Elena, Damon feels hope for the first time in a very long time. Slipping on his life jacket, Damon breathes in the atmosphere, the fresh air, the pristine almost surreal world carved in stone by the mighty Colorado River. Words cannot even begin to describe the beauty that is the Grand Canyon. The river's rapids are a challenge but he's chomping at the big to get their raft into the water. When he feels a nudge from Stefan, he snaps out of it and helps push the craft into the river. Hopping on, Damon takes a hold of the oar and pushes them forward. Soon they're picked up by the current, going up and down with the white water as it propels their craft forward. Damon loves feeling the spray of the water against his hot skin. Jeremy and Stefan are busy with their own oars. Damon lives for weekends like this.

While he knows that white water rafting can be a dangerous sport, especially if basic safety precautions are not observed, he lives for weekends like these with his brothers. He's been injured doing this before, when their raft struck a huge rock propelling Damon out of it, he landed hard on his shoulder, separating it. The Colorado River has swallowed whole expeditions in the past, leaving only fragments of boats.

They all know the story of the couple who disappeared in here. It's been eighty nine years since Glen and Bessie Hyde vanished here. They were young, handsome, adventurous and on their honeymoon. Bessie and Glen Hyde began their journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers on October 20, 1928. A month later, they hiked Bright Angel Trail up to the South Rim for supplies, then returned to their boat and continued down the river. They never came out. When the couple did not return by their due date, an exhaustive search, funded largely by Glen's father, was launched. Emery and Ellsworth Kolb found Bessie and Glen's boat just after Christmas, a month after they'd last been seen. The scow, still fully loaded and full of water, was floating in a calm eddy, one rope jammed to something beneath the surface of the river. It was empty. The Kolb's found Bessie's journal packed away carefully to stay dry. Her entries documented their last days, but gave no hint of tragedy. She wrote simply of the rapids passed, their camps, and the surrounding scenery. Bessie and Glen's tracks were found on beaches upriver from the abandoned scow, along with some discarded tins and a few scattered lima beans leftover from meals. No other trace was left. Bessie and Glen had disappeared. The most common theory is they fell overboard in a rapid at Mile 232 and were drowned. They did not have life jackets.

Bessie and Glen's story quickly became legend, developing a life of its own. According to some, Glen was domineering and abusive, and Bessie nurtured a private hatred for him that bubbled over after weeks on the river resulting in her murdering him and walking out of the canyon to restart life under a pseudonym. A skull with a bullet hole in it was found in the canyon in 1976 and immediately people believed it was Glen's. It wasn't.

Another story circulated about an older woman on a Grand Canyon trip who claimed she was Bessie Hyde. According to this story, the woman said she had stabbed Glen and then hiked out. She supposedly said, "It doesn't matter if I say I murdered him now. No one will believe me anyway." But that story did not pan out either. The woman later denied having ever made such a confession. Furthermore, she was several inches taller than the diminutive Mrs. Hyde.

Some flip the murder story, saying Glen killed Bessie and then returned to civilization where he picked up his life again as Glenn, with two n's Hyde. There are some amazing parallels between the two Glens, both of whom are historical figures, but that's as far as the story goes. Coincidences, no more.

Finally some people believe the pair, spooked from a scary experience in a rapid, abandoned their boat and tried to hike to the rim, dying from starvation and exposure on the way. But even this scenario seems unlikely. Glen and Bessie had been through worse whitewater upstream and her journal gives no indication of a growing despondency or fear. No one will ever really know what happened to the young pair. But their dramatic effort, two months on the river in an unwieldy wooden scow, dragging box springs onto the beach at night to sleep, cooking over fires, moving through the canyon day after day, just the two of them, continues to haunt river runners nearly 100 years later.

Risks in white water rafting stem from both environmental dangers and from improper behavior, Damon knows this. Certain features on rivers are inherently unsafe and have remained consistently so despite the passage of time. These include fallen trees, dams, especially low-head dams, which tend to produce river-wide keeper hydraulics, undercut rocks, and of course dangerously high waterfalls. Rafting with experienced guides is the safest. But with Stefan and Jeremy working here for their third summer now, he has confidence in their abilities. Damon also knows that even supposedly safe areas have their risks. Moving water can always present hazards. He remembers one time when they were kids playing in a river near their hometown, Jeremy attempted to stand on a rock but the strong current took his feet out from under him. He got his foot caught. Fortunately because the water wasn't deep, he wasn't in any danger of drowning but he did have a badly bruised ankle and hobbled around for a couple of weeks afterwards.

After navigating the rapid for a few hours, they maneuver their raft to shore to camp out for the night. Damon is tired, it's hard work but exhilarating nonetheless. Once they have a campfire built, Damon rolls open his sleeping bag, grabs a bottle of beer and lays down by the fire.

"How are you doing, Damon?" Jeremy asks, taking a swallow from his own bottle.

"I'm good. It feels good to get away from everything for a couple of days."

"Does that mean Elena too?" Stefan asks, twisting the cap off of his.

"No, I love Elena. She had her own weekend getaway. I actually did tell her the next time we do this that I'm going to drag her along," he laughs, taking a big swallow of beer.

"I'm glad to hear that," Stefan adds, winking at Jeremy.

"Me too big bro. We both love her too, we only want what's best for both of you."

"No worries then, she's what's best for me," Damon adds, polishing off his drink and then grabbing another. Since they have no phone reception at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, they spend the evening talking guy stuff and when their fire starts to die out, he adds a few logs and then slides into his sleep bag, letting the fatigue of the day pull him under.

* * *

"Come in, Elena," Dr. Fell says, giving her a come hither motion with her hand. Stepping over the threshold, Elena pushes the door closed behind her and then takes a seat. Feeling her belly churn a little bit, Elena smiles tentatively and then does as the doctor says. Looking around the room, Elena relaxes in the ambience. The lighting is soft, the color scheme is calming, the walls a light blue. Dr. Fell has nature pictures and inspiring quotes framed on the walls along with her diploma and other commendations. Looking to the right, she sees a small end table with Meredith's wedding picture along with a bouquet of fresh flowers and crystal bowl with those bead like air fresheners. Her office is really quite lovely. She's snapped out of her reverie when she hears the doctor's voice.

"How is the weekend going?"

"I like it here. I've participated in some group sessions and I enjoy the camaraderie with people who know what I'm going through. It's hard. I came so close to using again but somehow, I was able to tamper it down. I squirted what was in the syringe in the toilet and then I went back to Damon's place. He's so good to me."

"How so?"

"Despite everything I've done, he still loves me. I think he even loves me more knowing what those monsters did to me. But I can't blame it all on them. I left the hospital and offered myself for drugs a couple of times...," she pauses, ashamed of the very thought.

Elena blows out a cleansing breath. "That is until Enzo pulled me off of the street. I didn't know it at the time but I guess Damon asked him to keep an eye on me, to keep me safe when he couldn't. I'm afraid that I can't be who he needs though."

"Why is that, Elena?"

"Sex. I want to be able to participate fully like I did before all of this started. But now that my mind is clear, the thought of sex, I don't know. I'm almost afraid of it."

"Has Damon tried to push you?"

"No, no, he would never do that. He knows what happened. But how long will he be content just sharing a bed with me?" she asks, reaching for a tissue when she feels her eyes beginning to water. As soon as she gets her emotions under control, she continues, "I love him so much. I want our sex life to be vibrant and healthy like it was before all of this happened but just the thought of it scares me. I don't know if I'll ever be normal again and how can I subject him to that?"

"You said that Damon loves you, Elena. If he does, as much as you say he does, he'll wait. But I think it would be a good idea for the two of you to have some joint sessions. Are you agreeable to that?"

"Yes, of course. I think Damon will agree too, but I'll have to ask him."

"Your man sounds like one of the good ones, I have a feeling he'd do anything for you."

"He would," Elena agrees. After spending the rest of her session talking about other concerns, she leaves the doctor's office feeling a little more confident than she did when she walked in.

* * *

Having received an SOS from Enzo, Damon exits off the interstate on his way home from his weekend raft trip with his brothers. When he reaches his friend's driveway, he turns in, turning off the ignition when he arrives. Stepping out of his car, he's greeted by Enzo before he can even raise his hand to push the doorbell.

"Damon, come in," he says, shaking his hand. After pushing the door closed, he invites Damon into the living room so they can talk. Looking around, Damon doesn't see Lucy anywhere in sight. Shrugging his shoulders, he takes a seat, curious to know what Enzo wants to talk to him about.

"How is Elena?"

"She went for a therapy retreat over the weekend. She seems to be doing well although she isn't confiding everything in me yet. Between you and me, I think she's worried about intimacy between us. I would never push her, Enzo, never. Her body was abused in so many ways, I would hate myself it I forced her into something she isn't ready for. Sure I want to have sex with her again but the last thing I want is to send her over the edge. She's going to have to let me know when she's ready."

"You're a good man, Salvatore. Better than I ever gave you credit for. I don't know what it is about your girl, but she makes everyone fall in love with her. I mean as a friend and all, which brings me to Lucy. It isn't rocket science to see that I care about her, more than I should perhaps... , which leads me to something that I wanted to talk to you about," he adds rather cryptically then gets up to pour himself a drink. "Do you want one?"

"No, I have to drive back. I'll have a bottle of water if you have one though."

Nodding, he pulls one out of the refrigerator and hands it to Damon. Once he sits down, he takes a drink from his tumbler then focuses his concentration on his guest. "Lucy is getting groceries. I'm glad you got here before she came home. When she was seventeen, she had twin boys that were taken from her. She was hooking to support herself and using. We know that they were adopted out. From the digging I've done, I found out that one of them died from pneumonia when he was two. But I don't know about the other boy. I guess what I'm asking is.. Is there any way that you could help us find out what happened to him? More than anything she wants to know if her remaining son is happy and being well cared for."

Twisting off the lid of his water bottle, Damon takes a swallow, his eyes focused only on the other man. "Wow," Damon adds, blowing out a breath. "I owe you big for taking care of her and watching out for her when I couldn't, when she wouldn't let me. I don't know if I have access to that kind of file, Enzo.. but you have my word that I'll do a little digging. I used to date one of the officers that works in vital statistics. It was before I met Elena. We ended on a good note so maybe she'd let me have a peek."

"I'm really not expecting you to find anything but if by some miracle you do, I'd be very grateful," he says, stopping when they hear the door opening. Looking up, he sees Lucy so he gets up to take the grocery bags from her arms.

"I saw your car, is Elena here too?" She says, approaching Damon.

"No, Lucy. I was telling Enzo that she went to a retreat this weekend. And on that note, I need to get home too. It's good to see you," he says, pressing a kiss to her cheek and with a wave of his raised hand to Enzo, Damon leaves the house, hops in the Camaro and drives home, his heart beating a little faster knowing that in a couple of hours he'll see _her_ again.

* * *

Stepping into his place, he smiles immediately when he sees her curled up on the couch, a bowl of popcorn on her lap and a soda in her hand. "How was your weekend?" Damon ask, setting his duffel bag down before walking over to her. Plopping down on the couch, he takes a handful of popcorn. Dropping a few kernels in his mouth he chews it up and takes some more.

"It was good I think," she says, putting a little distance between them. Sagging back against the couch, he lays his head back and closes his eyes. He has to wonder if they'll ever get past this awkwardness. They do fine laying in bed together but to have a real conversation, it's always tentative and edgy. Knowing her as well as he does, he's able to sense her frustration, her anger and even her worry. He notices the stiff set of her postures, her tight grip on her soda can and the way she doesn't look at him.

"What can I do, Elena?" he asks, spreading his arm out over the back of the couch but takes care not to touch her.

"I don't know what you can do, Damon? I hate this distance between us but I don't know when I'll be ready."

"Elena," he says softly. Reaching over, he places two fingers on the side of her jaw, gently urging her to look at him. "You know I'll wait till the end of the earth if that's what it takes. I love what's in here," he says, gently tapping her temple, "and what's in here," he continues, touching just above her left breast. "Yes, I'll admit that sex between us has always been spectacular but it's not why I fell in love with you. I hope you know that."

"I know but it's an important part of a relationship."

"It is but it's hardly the most important. If you want me to go to counseling with you, I will. I'll do anything you need me to do, Elena. I. love. you."

"I love you too, Damon, " she tells him sincerely while fingering the necklace he gave her. "I know this is a poor segue but I have a meeting with Detective Carlucci tomorrow. Do you know what it's about?"

"I have no idea," Damon adds, taking her hand in his. "If it's about the case, you're strong enough now, you'll do fine."

Pulling her lower lip between her teeth, she nods her head then turns away to yawn. Smiling, Damon stands up. Extending his hand, he pulls her up when she latches on and leads her to their bedroom and into the bathroom. He sits her down on the toilet seat then pulls some bubble bath out from under the sink. After pouring a couple of capfuls into the tub, he turns on the water then walks, returning moments later with some clean pajamas for her. He drops a kiss to the crown of her head and then leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

With Damon's hand holding hers firmly, he leads her to Carlucci's office. After giving her hand a squeeze, he opens the door, letting her walk in. They share a look and then Damon vacates the room and heads over to Captain Shane's office. Knocking on his door, she walks inside when she hears his voice.

"Have a seat Officer Gilbert. I suppose you're wondering why I've asked you here?"

"Yes, actually. I thought maybe it might have something to do with the Mikaelson's?" she mentions, looking around his office at his book cases and commendations on the wall as well as a big computer to the right of his desk. There's also what looks like family pictures sitting on the shelves in front of the books. His office is rather homey, much like Captain Shane's.

"Finn's girlfriend, Abby, we believe she's the one who injected you with heroin the first time. Actually she was arrested a few weeks ago by Shane's team. Finn started singing like a canary as soon as we got him in the interrogation room."

"I'm glad she can't hurt anyone else."

"No, she can't. But that's not why I invited you here. I would like to offer you a job in my department. How do you feel about working homicide?"

"You want me to work for you?" she asks, her mouth hanging open.

"Yes, I do."

"I like working for Captain Shane but I will admit that pretending to be a teenager and having to do homework isn't what I want to spend my entire career on. I like being a cop, I really do. My whole sordid saga had to do with my work for Shane. So if you're sure, then yes, I would like to give it a try," she adds, wondering how Damon will take the news. He's so good at what he does. She only hopes he'll understand the bad feelings that are associated with their squad after her kidnapping and torture.

"Good. I know you're still recuperating from your ordeal so when you're ready, give me a call and then we'll get your transfer papers in order." When they hear a knock on the door, they look up, two officers are at the door asking to speak with Jack. Excusing herself, Elena leaves the room, excited at the prospect of starting a new job but also a little wary of how Damon is going to react. Rather than tell him now, she texts him that she's going back to his place and that she'll see him later. Feeling good about herself, she hops into a taxi and goes home to plan a wonderful supper for Damon.

* * *

Having spent most of the day preparing themselves to start in at a new school at the beginning of next week, Damon takes a break and goes downstairs to see if his friend Jessica can lead him in the right direction to find anything on Lucy's remaining child. She inputs what Damon can tell her into the computer and then tells him that the boy was sent to an orphanage near Williams, Arizona. It's south of Grand Canyon, a little touristy, antique shop filled type of town. Unfortunately she couldn't give him any names or even if the boy had been adopted out. Knowing he'll have to do some digging himself, he jots down a little info, says thank you to Jessica before leaving for the day. On his way home, he stops at a flower shop to buy Elena a bouquet of wildflowers and a half a dozen chocolate covered strawberries. His next stop is a liquor store where he picks out a nice bottle of wine. He intends to ply her with wine and chocolate, give her a foot massage and spend the evening showing her just how very much he loves her.

* * *

With their hands intertwined, they step into the therapist's office. She tells them to have a seat. After sharing a look, they each sit down, it's then that they let go of each other. "You must be Damon? I'm Dr. Fell," she says, extending her hand, shaking his. "I'm very glad that you agreed to join Elena for a session."

"I wanted to be here," Damon says, turning his head and reaching out towards her. Taking his hand, Elena smiles back. She's so happy that he volunteered to go with her.

"That's very good actually. Have you two talked about Elena's feelings about intimacy and sex too?"

"We have," Damon replies, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I told her that she's in the driver's seat, meaning she sets the pace. I don't want to push her into something she's not ready for. We both know that a healthy sex life is an important component of a relationship but I'll wait as long as necessary. I love her so much, Dr. Fell."

"I love you too, Damon. I want to be able to share myself with you again. It's just that so much has happened," she blurts out, reaching for a tissue to dab her tears that are starting to fall.

"Elena?"

"No, stop doing that, stop acting like it doesn't matter because it does," she snaps, her eyes meeting his. "I did try one night, snuggling in next to him. I pulled my cami up just enough so my breast was pressed against his chest.. but when he started to touch me, I had such a visceral reaction, my hands were shaky so he just stopped what he was doing. When I got my nerves back, I started to touch him intimately but then he pulled away. I know you didn't mean to hurt me, Damon but it still felt like you were rejecting me. It hurt, it still hurts. It was like you didn't want to touch me because they ruined me."

"Elena, I'm so, so sorry. Nothing could be further from the truth. You're not ruined, I love you more than I ever thought was humanly possible, I can't even put it into words. I felt you freeze and I just thought that maybe you were pushing yourself into something that you weren't quite ready for yet. I would never, ever reject you. I don't know if I've ever voiced it out loud but you are the strongest woman I've ever known. With or without me, one day you will fly again, please if you believe nothing else, believe that."

"Damon," she whispers, reaching for another tissue.

"I didn't reject you, I would never," he vows adamantly. "I'm so sorry if I made you feel that way."

Damon pauses for a few seconds before continuing, "If I could tear Trevor apart with my bare hands, I would gladly spend life in prison if it meant sparing you from everything. I'm your lover, I'm supposed to have protected you. I'll always feel guilty for not doing that."

"It's not your fault, Damon. Captain Shane, Bonnie and Brady too have told me that you spent hour after hour, night after night looking for me. You can't blame yourself."

"But I do, Elena. I failed you."

"No, you didn't. You're here now when I need you the most."

Closing his eyes for just a moment, Damon squeezes her hand as if she's a lifeline. She palms the side of his cheek and when he looks into her eyes, he knows she means it. Hearing Dr. Fell clear her throat, they turn their attention to her where the three talk about their fears and by the time they leave for the day after making another appointment, both Damon and Elena are feeling upbeat and happy. As soon as they get to his car, he pulls her into his arms, wrapping one around her middle, the other around her neck and then he drops his mouth to hers, kissing her fiercely making her belly burn and her heart slam chaotically. When they break apart, she cradles his cheeks and joins their lips again, their hearts beating together as one just as they were meant to be.

* * *

 _One chapter left. I will be posting a special pictorial I made for the finale on my facebook page._

 _Huge love and hugs to my dearest Eva. Thank you so much for everything that you do to make our stories the best that they can be._

 _Thanks so much all of you for your amazing support for my versions of Damon and Elena. I love them so much, I can't find it in myself to say goodbye to them, at least not yet._

 _Chapter title: "Heal My Soul" by Derdian._

 _"Tomorrow", "The Night We Met" and "This Isn't What We Meant" are all in progress._

 _Thank you again so much for all that you do. Have a fabulous day. We'll see you next with the epilogue._


	23. Who Says You Can't Go Home

Sitting in the front row of the gallery, Damon watches intently as Elena testifies for the prosecution in Mikael's trial. It's been brutal for her, having to relieve her whole nightmarish confinement and descent into drug abuse and madness as she likes to say. He could not be more proud of her. Testifying against Tyler Lockwood was a simple matter compared to this trial but his girl is strong and determined to do everything she can to make Mikael pay for the hell he put her through. Over the last several months, they've continued to go to therapy, both couples and Elena by herself. She also attends addicts anonymous meetings weekly. The road back has been hard and full of bumps for both of them but together, they're now stronger and more in love than they've ever been.

In the last couple of months, they've taken a much needed vacation to Hawaii. They even thought about eloping but then he knew that not only would his brothers have his ass, so would his parents. Even though they haven't had the best relationship over the years, they were too busy with their careers to be saddled with three rambunctious sons. All of that said, they're still his folks and he does love them. They always made sure that the three of them were cared for no matter where they happened to be off gallivanting at the time.

He and Elena spent hours sightseeing, taking surfing and hula lessons and baking in the sun. One afternoon, they got the shock of their lives when they ran into Kol Mikaelson. It was by sheer happenstance of course. They were at a luau, leis around their necks while they overindulged in the cuisine. Although it was uncomfortable for Elena to have all of those memories dredged up once more, she was genuinely happy to see him. She handled it with grace and dignity, thanking him for saving her life.

Kol apologized profusely for his role in her captivity. As for him, he thanked her repeatedly and explained that he's trying to make the most of the opportunity she gave him. Even though he's old enough to live on his own, the cost of living is quite expensive in Hawaii so he lives here with his brother, sister in law, Eva and their children. He's going to college, hoping to become a doctor like Elijah. Damon shook his hand too for if Kol had not taken her to the emergency room that day, Elena would be dead, leaving him only to grieve for a life that could have been.

Elena works in homicide now with Captain Carlucci. He was promoted shortly before Elena went to work with him. She's blossomed there, helping bring a half a dozen murderers to justice in a few short months. Elena has also expressed an interest in working with the cold case division too but since she's close to Jack, she doesn't want to leave him in a bind, not yet anyway. As for himself, Damon is still working with Captain Shane. He doesn't expect it to be a lifetime assignment, eventually he'll start showing his age but for now, he feels he owes it his friends after all they did to help him find Elena.

When he hears the banging of the gavel, Damon looks just as the Judge is announcing that court is dismissed. Unless she's recalled to the stand, she's done testifying. Mikael's highfalutin attorney tried to break her but his girl held on strong. Standing up while the Judge leaves the room, Damon holds out his hand, linking their fingers together when she reaches them. Their bags are packed and in the trunk. They're going to spend a long weekend in Las Vegas. As soon as they reach the car, Damon unlocks it and opens the door for her. Turning around in his arms, she wraps her arms around his middle. Stepping onto her tiptoes, she captures his lips in a kiss so intense that the heat alone is enough to turn coal into diamonds. Stepping back, Damon drops another quick one to the tip of her nose then motions for her to get in. After pushing her door closed, he trots around to his side of the car, fires up the engine and drives north to Vegas.

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," she teases, giving his free hand a squeeze. "I love you, Damon," she adds, smiling widely at him. He can't help but notice the sun glimmering off the diamonds in her infinity necklace, creating a prism of rainbows inside of the car. Picking up her hand, he presses a kiss to each finger then sets her hand down, his heart exceedingly happy to have her in his life.

* * *

"They're staying at Circus Circus so Xander can play at the amusement park," Elena explains as Damon pulls onto Las Vegas Boulevard. Xander is Lucy's surviving son. He has some learning disabilities related to her in-utero drug use but she's been clean and sober for a long time now. With Damon and Elena and even Captain Shane vouching for them, they were given custody of him for now. They are in the process of adopting him so they're visited by social workers monthly and have to submit to drug tests. Lucy doesn't care as long as in the end, she gets to keep her boy. He's a darling child, with dark hair and complexion like his mother.

Damon and Elena along with Jeremy and Stefan are meeting up at Treasure Island where they have reservations. Damon pulls into the valet parking area, handing his keys to the attendant. After he pulls their luggage out of the trunk, they walk inside the casino to take their turn in the check in line. Hearing a familiar voice, Damon snaps his head to the side, smiling when he sees his twin brothers coming towards them, pulling their suitcases behind them. Damon waves to get their attention. Turning around, Elena waves wildly too when she sees them. They chat while they take their turn in line, finally reaching the front desk after about a half hour waiting. Once they have their keys, they head towards the elevator to put their things in their room so they can meet up with Enzo and his family.

As soon as they freshen up, they go back downstairs and outside, walking north on the sidewalk to get to Circus, Circus. Once inside, they find their way to the adventure dome. Elena texts Lucy to tell them that they're here and mere moments later, they find their friends, Xander's smile reaching ear to ear, when he shows Elena the great big stuffed alligator that Enzo won for him.

"I'm jealous. I think Enzo needs to win one of those for me too, don't you agree, Xander?" Elena asks, winking at her friend.

"I think so too," the boy retorts, before running over to show it to Damon who's pointing something out to his brothers. "Hi Damon."

"Hi Xander," Damon greets the boy. Pulling him into his arms, he introduces him to Jeremy and Stefan.

"You're his brothers?" he asks, not seeing the resemblance the way his eyes are darting back and forth between the three of them.

"They are, the one with the hero hair is Stefan and this guy is Jeremy," Damon says, introducing them. Xander laughs then asks to get down, immediately scampering over to his parents. The group breaks up, promising to meet up later at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace to have supper at Planet Hollywood. After leaving the Adventure Dome, they walk back outside towards their motel. They continue their venture farther down the strip, taking time to watch the dancing fountains at the Bellagio and then they take a cab down to Mandalay Bay to view the shark tank. By the time they get back to their motel, they're all exhausted. Retreating to their room, they share a hot bubble bath, then crawl into bed to take a short nap before it's time to go out with their friends again.

* * *

Having spent a long night of eating, drinking and gambling, they finally get back to their room. With a twinkle in his eyes, Damon picks her up and carries her into their bedroom. It took a lot of counseling, a lot of tears and a lot of hugs but Elena finally triumphed over her fears. Despite that, he pauses, trying to read the look in her eyes. Sometimes it's still hard for her to pull herself out of that headspace.

It's like sometimes she has to keep her eyes open to reassure herself that it's indeed him when they're having sex. He relaxes visibly when she nods. Smiling softly, she gives him the come hither motion with her index finger and in the next second he's on top of her, kissing her so thoroughly that it leaves her breathless and wanting by the time he pulls their lips apart with a wet plopping sound. Leaning back on his knees, he unsnaps her jeans and lowers the zipper.

She sighs as he lowers them down her long svelte legs. As he inches then downward, he presses his lips against her soft skin, touching her gently and carefully. Shifting restlessly against his sweet assault, Elena nearly melts, the graze of his calloused fingertips is almost unbearable. But when he slips those same fingertips beneath the lace of her panties touching her heated flesh, a greedy groan escapes from her throat.

"I need you, Damon," she rasps, her eyes dark and brimming with lust when they meet his that are staring down at her.

Jumping off of the bed for a moment, he starts to disrobe, his eyes never drifting from the sight of her laying in the king sized bed. With glazed eyes and flushed cheeks and glistening lips, she sucks the lower one between her teeth, knowing full well what that does to him.

"Little minx," he mumbles, under his breath but she hears him, eliciting a salacious swipe of her tongue across her lips. Sliding the shirt from his shoulders, he marvels at the same raw, hungry look that she wore the first time they were together. He never fails to be amazed when he sees the same visceral need always reflected back at him. Even though they've been through their very own version of hell, the pull between them is still so vibrant and electric.

"Hurry, Damon," she moans, touching herself at the juncture of her thighs, making his eyes nearly pop out of his head. Before she utters another sound, his jeans are pooled at his feet. Kicking them off, he jumps back onto the bed, easing himself over her. Feeling her nails rake across his back, he reaches around to unclasp her bra, savoring her ripe breasts. So hard that he hurts, he's still determined to do this slow and easy. After planting a heady kiss to her lips, he tugs off her panties. Knowing her man as well as she does, Elena reaches over to his bedside stand to reach for a condom. Her eyes are feverish as she hands it to him. Feeling heat radiating from every pore in his body, his own fingers shake as he tries to roll it on.

Damon can't stop his heart from racing out of control when he sees smoldering desire and so much love staring back at him. Wanting to claim his mouth, Elena pulls him towards her. As soon as he feels his cock slide against her wet warmth, he whispers, "I love you, Elena." At the same time he drops his mouth to hers, he slides forward and into her goddess like body. Her breath rushes out of her in a gasp and at the same time he feels her knees squeezing against his hips.

"Like that, Damon, just like that...," she pants, her voice raspy. Even though he's barely made a move, somehow it seems enough just to be inside of her, inside his home. Even the smallest movement of her lifting her hips against his makes him see stars. Nearly drunk with pleasure, he can't stop himself from pushing forward, driving into her just the way she likes it. Biting her lip to stifle a moan, Elena's eyes fly open when he shifts, hitting that special spot inside of her. Their gazes lock and in this moment, she knows that this is right.

Elena wraps her legs around his waist and when she does, he pulls back, disentangling them for a moment. He reaches for a pillow to slide under the small of her back. With her hips tilted just right, he latches onto them and presses back inside. With her at this angle, he hits her sweet spot with each of his well aimed trusts. He knows he hit the jackpot when she cries out, sounding hoarse and desperate. Even knowing it won't be long, Damon keeps up the rhythm. When she tightens around him, he slows down to try to make it last as long as she can handle it.

Unable to keep her eyes open, they slip shut but somehow, she still matches him thrust for thrust. Before she can take a breath, Damon rocks back on his heels. While keeping his hands splayed on the small of her back, he drags her upright with him. She wraps her legs around his middle, deepening their already impossibly deep connection.

Clinging to him tightly, Elena groans as he pushes harder than ever before, repeatedly hitting that spot that leaves them both trembling. When their eyes meet, Damon sees tears. With his prone hand, he laces it under her hair to clutch the back of her neck, pulling her forward to join her mouth to his. When they part, Damon struggles to catch a breath as she begins to rise up down along his length. Wanting her even closer, he drops his mouth to her throat, licking and nipping and blazing a trail of fire across her sweat dampened skin. Elena begins to move faster, grinding against him hard and with purpose causing Damon to struggle to keep his eyes open. Burying his face in her shoulder, moaning against the curve of her gazelle like neck, he feels himself slipping over the edge. Heat and electricity grip his body and suddenly he erupts in fiery explosion of sparks and flames so intense that he can't see anything but white heat. So visceral is his orgasm that it drags Elena over the edge right along with him.

Chill bumps break out on his skin as she milks his body dry. When he finally finds the energy to lift his face from her shoulder, he's literally speechless. Elena smiles, running her fingers through his sweat drenched hair breathlessly murmuring gibberish to soothe him. Sometimes he gets so emotional knowing how close they came to losing everything. Unable to take his eyes from her beautiful face, he can only whisper, "I love you, Elena." Given the boneless state of her body, she reaches up to cradle his cheeks, "I love you too."

Several seconds pass then Damon rolls over. Leaning over the side of the bed, he reaches for his jeans, pulling out a little velvet pouch. When he rolls over again, he presses his mouth to hers, leaving her insides searing and wanting more. Taking her hand in his at the same time he drops his lips to her ear, he whispers, "Will you marry me?" then pulls back, staring at her to gauge her reaction.

Her eyes light up like a firefly, her mouth gawps open and closed. When she can finally speak, she shouts, "Yes," then throws her arms around his neck and kisses him like it's their first kiss, their last kiss.

* * *

Damon surprised her again when he pulled a beautiful baby pink dress out of a garment bag that he had hung in the hotel room closet. It's sleeves with lace and flowers that hang over her backside and extend onto the lacey skirt. The dress is literally breathtaking. Not only did he find the dress, he also pulled a pair of white heels out of his suitcase. The only thing he didn't have is a bouquet, telling her that he hopes they can buy one at the wedding chapel.

As soon as they change into their wedding finery, Damon leads her downstairs to where he has a limousine waiting for them. Stunned that he made all these plans on the sly, she starts to tear up a bit realizing that he did all of this for her. It makes her wonder how many men would have stood by her after everything that happened? Sometimes she's still incredulous at the depth of love he has for her. Her confidence grows day by day, he's stood with her, letting her fly on her own and lending a hand when she needed it. She could not be more proud than to be Mrs. Damon Salvatore.

As soon as the limo pulls up to Caesars Palace, the driver opens the doors. Damon gets out first then offers her his hand. Together they walk amidst whistles and cheers into the Casino where a wedding planner is waiting for them with a bouquet in hand. Her mouth parts at the beautiful arrangement, it's all tulips. Her eyes start to water when she realizes that he remembered that she told him ages ago how much she loves them. They were her mother's favorite flower. It's made of light pink, darker pink and purple ones with greenery. Taking the tissue the woman offers, Elena dabs her eyes, hoping not to smear her mascara.

The woman, Angelica, then escorts them to the Juno Garden. It is the ultimate luxurious retreat for them to say the two most important words of their lives. Elena is flabbergasted at the lengths Damon has gone to make this the perfect day for them. The elegant venue boasts tropical landscaping, palm trees, lush foliage and classic Roman architecture, making it the perfect spot for a wedding. As soon as the woman opens the door to let them pass, she gets the surprise of her life when she sees all of their friends and family waiting for them, all dressed to the nines themselves. Captain Shane and his wife is here along with Captain Carlucci and his wife, Anna. Bonnie, Brady, Jeremy, Stefan and of course, Enzo, Lucy and Xander. She's struck mute when she sees that Damon's parents are even here. She's only met them once before.

Angelica then takes charge, telling the men to get into position and then she lines up Lucy, Bonnie and Elena. As soon as the Justice of the Peace appears, three violinists and a pianist also appear. Elena is in awe when they start to play Pachelbel's Canon in D. Taking a deep breath, she watches first Lucy and then Bonnie walk down the make shift aisle. Damon has his brother's standing up for him. Sucking in a breath, she walks towards her love, her home. When she reaches him, he takes her hand in his and drops a kiss to it. With a nod, they turn to face the man. Moments later, he gestures for Damon to speak.

"I love you, Elena. You are my best friend and the love of my life. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in the highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life."

Having not prepared anything, Elena has to wing it. With tears filling her eyes, she starts to speak. "I take you, Damon, to be my husband. We have already had our share of adversity but I promise that we will bear together whatever of sorrow and trials that life may yet put upon us. I will share together whatever of joy and fulfillment life may hold in store. I commit my life to you, one made in love, kept in faith, lived in hope and eternally made anew. I pledge to you a life of giving and of hoping, of growing and of loving. I shall be with you in your tears and in your laughter, just as I shall bring to you my own joys and my own sorrows. You will be my husband as long as love remains." Knowing it's futile to fight the tears, she takes the lacy handkerchief that Bonnie slips to her.

Feeling Damon squeeze her hand, she looks at him again, his own eyes are glassy too. Together, they face the Justice again. After a few more words, he pronounces them man and wife. Then the music starts to play and their family gathers around, Elena smiles widely when Damon's parents hug and congratulate him. As soon as the congratulations are done, Angelica leads them into a party room for the reception. When everyone has champagne, Damon takes Elena's hand, nods to Stefan and Jeremy who are about to toast them.

"To our brother and new sister," they begin, "Love doesn't consist of only gazing at each other, but it's looking outward together in the same direction," they finish and then Jeremy continues, "We were with Damon through the worst and now we're with him through the best."

Raising their glasses towards the couple, Stefan adds, continuing the their sentiments, "Thank you, Elena for making my brother the happiest we've ever seen him. Toast." When he finishes, everyone raises their glass and drinks to the happy couple.

When the time comes for them to leave, together they thank everyone and with a spray of rice and rose petals, they escape into the waiting limo to take them to the airport. "But what about our things?" Elena asks, looking out of the back window of the vehicle.

"Don't worry. Stefan and Jeremy are going to take it back for us. Our luggage is in the back of the limo. Relax, okay?"

"Where are we going?"

"That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot," he teases, pulling her into his arms for a smoldering kiss. "I love you, Mrs. Salvatore. This is the first day of the rest of our lives. It's going to be one hell of a ride but I know that as long as you're at my side, it's going to be spectacular." Without saying a word, she captures his lips in a torrid kiss, her heart bursting with love because she couldn't have said it any better.

* * *

 _The End._

 _Thank you Eva, I wouldn't be here without you._

 _Thank you all for coming on this journey with Eva and me and for your kind words along the way._

 _Chapter title: "Who Says You Can't Go Home" by Bon Jovi with Jennifer Nettles._

 _I posted the pictorial with Elena's bouquet, rings, and Juno Garden on my FB page. I also put posted a picture of Elena's wedding gown._

 _Have a wonderful evening and a Happy Thursday. Thank you all again for everything._


End file.
